In a war broken world
by OSR4ever
Summary: Toh’el’ach is an honored hunter on a hunt for 3 bad bloods. Maxine is a woman who is not what she let others know. Together they meet in a war broken world and forced to work together when kainda Amedha, humans and yautjas work against them.
1. The temple

**Hi everyone. This is my first Alien vs. Predator fic****. and is very excided to see what people out there think about it… Not that it matters as it is written for my brother who dared me to write it. I apologize for any errors; English is not my native language.**

**Anyway; you've all read the summary, let the show begin.**

**Chapter 1: The temple. **

"The newly found writings indicate that the temple was indeed built to serve a type of gods we never have encountered before. They seem more violent than all other known gods that we else have encountered in this area." Max said into a digital recorder for further use. She sat with her laptop on her crossed legs and with a table full of books, a couple of tablets and a lot of paper with notes and translations she worked on her newest work from the field. For the third time that month there was a power cut and all she could do was sit tight and wait. Luckily her laptop was self-sufficient on power; one of her small trinkets that she required from her past. She smiled at her new discovery, she had found out during one of her solo excavations that these gods might have been from another world; from space.

Her satellite phone brought her attention with a clear beep. Frowning, knowing that must be her team wanting her to do something for them. Not that she had any liking for the 10 men who only wanted her for two things; her brain and her look.

"Yes?" She said a little more annoyed than she had meant into the phone.

"Maxine, we need you at the temple; the fat man has ordered us all to find everything we can on your new little discovery. So I'll like to see your beautiful ass as soon as possible." George said in the other end.

"Right now; it's about 1 in the morning." She frowned.

"Now! It's very important and we need your translating skills to help us." Her colleague answered.

"Alright." She sighed.

"Don't worry, you'll get your beauty sleep soon enough." He laughed before hanging up.

"Jerk!" Max blurted before packing her things to leave.

The ride was fairly long and the only thing that she enjoyed by the trip was the power she always felt when she drove her Harley.

"Okay what's so important that you needed me to come in the middle of the night?" She spoke as she parked at the entrance, but no answer. "Hallo, guys?" She called not liking the silence one bit.

Walking further into the temple she found fresh footprint but what made her worry a little was that beside her team she found footprint from at least 3 more. They had to be males as they were too big to come from a woman. Following the same direction that her team went she moved further into the stone structure. She pasted the main hall and walked further into a side room for the scarification chamber where they had found the tablet.

Something was not right; call it an instinct but it was way off. A sound behind her; she focused her attention toward the sound, not moving a muscle. Sensing that it wasn't one on her team members she turned around to face him. "Well that is a way to make people jumpy." She said annoyed.

The not so tall man stood perfectly still ready to attack any moment and instantly she knew the gesture. He was hostile but why?

Waiting for him to make the first move she sensed others nearby, was it her team ready to help her or was it people that was with this unknown man? She held her eyes with the man but something else begged for her attention. It was George, the leader of her team and he too was holding a gun and was not, as she had hoped, aiming at the stranger but at her.

The remaining 9 of her team showed themselves all holding guns at her. Turning that she now was facing the man she had worked with the last 2 months, she showed her teeth in anger.

"Maxine." George said with a fake smile.

"George what the hell are you doing, have you gone mad?" Max said ready to attack if it came to that. He let the gun rest by his side walking a little closer to her, but she backed away.

"I'm only following orders as you should have done Maxine, and now we have no other choice." He answered pointing the gun at her once more. Seeing the gun directed at her once again, Max narrowed her eyes. _How dare he thread me like this?_ She thought.

"You are the most unbelievable stubborn, thick-headed, incredible hot woman I've ever met. It's almost a shame that I have to kill you. I would have loved to have you at least one time, but that is too late now. Goodbye Maxine." George said with a smirk on his face.

"I don't think so shit-face!" Max said and without hesitation she cart-wheeled from the rain of bullets that came for her. She found her knife from her side holster and threw it right between the eyes of one of the shooters. Using one of the others as a shield he was penetrated by the others assault. Then with a quick sprint she was out of the room and toward a place where she could create a plan against her former team mates.

-

What she didn't know was that inside the temple was there someone that had waited for their victims to come. Pl'as, Denth'onck and gan'tl had placed the eggs and only waited for them to hatch so they could infest the pitiful oomans. They had been lucky that they had been there this night or the 3 bad bloods had been forced to use animals from the forest for their stolen chiva. Pl'as watched as an ooman female ran down the corridors and a group of males going after her, weapons drawn. He chuckled by himself as he witnessed them all heading directly for the room where they had placed the eggs and was pleased that the hunt now soon would begin.

-

The honored hunter; Toh'el'ach, landed not far from the bad bloods ship, he had a perfect image of where everyone were. He saw all 3 bad bloods along with 10 oomans all running toward the chamber where the eggs was located. _Stupid oomans._ He thought as he secured his ship, cloaked it, then himself and ran to the other ship. He would not give the bad blood the chance of get away from this planet, so therefore he activated a small bomb he had brought along: attaching it on the ship, he too started his hunt. A hunt for the criminals that had stolen 7 eggs from the Kainde Amedha queen that his clan had for the young bloods chiva. Starting his recorder of his helmet to show the council his future victory when he returned, he was off.

He entered the ruins of the ancient temple which once had been where this world's people had worshiped his race; the yautja. The eggs was about to hatch and that was not a good thing as once the face huggers found a host it would be a much dangerous game.

He ran toward the beacon signal that all 3 bad bloods transmitted with there transmitter. As he ran he passed a group of 3 ooman males all lying on the floor with a whole in there chest. He was too late, the face huggers had already found their first victims and now there was 3 hard meats running around. This was not what he had wished for, but he was not to complain as it only would make it all much more interesting.

Following the beacon once more he was lead to an isolated room and saw the 3 transmitters on the floor; the bad bloods must had disposed themselves off them when they realized they could be tracked. First he thought the room was empty but then he saw her; an ooman female, she was standing in the furthest corner looking like she was ready to strike the first and the best that would enter. Watching the ooman hold a knife ready to defend herself, a face hugger attacked her from behind, forcing itself over her face. At first glint it seamed like she was trying to slice the beast of her, but to Toh'el'ach's surprise she tore it off of her with her bare hand. He watched the scene in awe as the female held the bug in her hand studying it, then with a very hard throw she let it fly through the air only to be pierced by her knife. Walking up to the now dead bug she swore as she saw her knife almost disintegrated by the acid blood. Finding another knife from her boot she walked up to the door peeking out for any other hostiles.

Toh'el'ach was impressed and decided to claim this ooman as a trophy of his own and was ready to jump down for her as a group of 3 males emerged from the opening; holding projectile weapons at the female. Wanting to see what would happen next, the hunter watched from above the oomans.

"Maxine, what a surprise to find you here." The leader male said, clearly not meaning a word of it.

"Just skip the bullshit and cut to the case. You want to kill me, why I haven't found out yet but I will. You think you can kill me by bringing a team of 9 with you, don't insult me." The female hissed, mocking him at the same time. The hunter defiantly liked this ooman and she would be a prized trophy if she proved to survive the fight with the other oomans.

George pointed the gun at her head with his finger ready to blow it off. "You will regret killing my men bitch." He said hateful.

Max grinned. "And how will you do that?" She asked holding the knife ready when she saw his two goons flanking her.

"I will shoot you myself bitch!" The man yelled.

"You are really good at name giving people aren't you?"

_She was mocking the clearly bigger male though she was surrounded by all 3 of them all holding weapons at her but why. This female will not have a chance against them._ Toh'el'ach thought as he watched the scene. Then, in a heart beat the ooman girl was charging, without warning. She had dodged the bullets from the 2 younger males and went directly at the leader. She knocked himunconscious. She threw her knife at one of the men and hit him in the leg. He fell in a cry of pain but kept shooting at her. She ran, flipped and dodged the bullets, and then in her flight she hit the third male hard on. He fell, landing on top of the other who was knocked into the world of sleep. Now with the only conscious man tried to untangle himself from the other, she walked toward them not worrying about that he still held a weapon in his hand. He shot at her once again and she kept moving like nothing was happening. Picking up a rock from the floor she sized it in her hand before throwing it hard enough to knock the weapon out of the man's hand. The man whined a bit as she walked up close to the 2 men as the other had chosen to wake up once again, both looking terrified at her.

Toh'el'ach was more than impressed by the ooman girl, he couldn't wait to match her abilities and she would be a fine pray who would give him much honor.

"You tried to kill me, why?" She asked as she hoisted one of the males up by his collar. He whimpered by her penetrating eyes that seemed like they saw right into his soul.

"I… I…Don't know, the boss just told us to… to kill you." He answered petrified of the woman.

"Pity, I…" She didn't get the chance to finish the sentence as the leader, who had wakened from his blow, just shot his own man. Max looked at George furious. Dropping the now dead man she retrieved her knife from the still lying man.

"So it will be you who will tell me what I want to know." She said in a low voice but George just smiled by her comment. He started to shoot, not at Max but at the ceiling right above her, and then ran to get away from the crumbling building. The hunter was in the other end of the room on a platform so he was protected from the danger but Max was not that lucky as she stood right below.

Max tried to protect her head with her arms but Toh'el'ach was almost sure that the debris would crush the fragile girl with its masses, however using her immense speed she dodged the falling pieces of roof and using the dead body as a shield; she was buried. Toh'el'ach was positive that she never would have that kind of strength to support the weight of the rubbles. _It's a shame; she would have been a prime of a trophy._ The yautja thought leaving the room, not even bothering scanning for life signs.

-

Pushing the corpse away along with the remaining rubbles of the roof, Max dusted herself off. She had almost lost the battle with the continuing of the falling stones but she had survived only with a couple of small cuts and bruises and a couple of aching arms. Looking over the floor she saw the guy she had thrown her knife hadn't been that lucky, not that she complained but that meant that her answers would come from George no matter if he liked it or not. She didn't get minutes peace before something back in her mind told her something was way off and with that she heard a scream. It came from one of her former team mates but why would he scream like that? Max eased her way to the remaining whole in the wall and started her way out. She needed to find those bastards so she could come home and get some sleep; it was now 48 hours since she last slept and she could feel it through out her whole body. But that wouldn't stop her.

Running toward the sound she soon found a body of the same man she had heard only minutes ago. He had a large gab in his stomach and chest, which explained why he was dead. Hearing one more scream she ran toward the sound once more and this time she didn't find a dead body but one of her former team members holding in the air by something she even couldn't start to reason for herself what was. It was large, seamed human; however in the dim light she wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't. She had seen many things in her time but this has just beaten it all. The creature looked at her with big hollow eyes. No it was not its eyes it was some kind of mask that covered its face. The man in agony screamed one more time before he was silences by the creature; it tore his head off.

Max was not sure what to expect from this man-looking creature and then 2 other creatures materialized right before her, weapon raised; she knew she would have to fight. Going into a fighting position she just waited for the dance to begin but the first creature who now had deposed its self from the body cocked its head to the side and looked almost like it was laughing at her. Seeing this Max started to become angry; it had been only a fight in her eyes until now._ Just laugh it up boys._ She thought; now it was time for her to show them that you wouldn't laugh at her without regretting it.

-

Toh'el'ach had finally located the 3 bad bloods and to his shock the female was with them. He had been sure she had died in the other room, but here she was standing before the mocking bad bloods ready to fight for her life. _Why don't she just run, get away from them while she still has a chance?_ The honored hunter wondered for himself but decided once more that this would be a perfect chance to see how good her skills were. Denth'onck then suddenly stopped his taunting and looked at the ooman as if she had said something insulting. Drawing his combo staff he charged against her without a warning, in the same second he would had rampaged her with the pointy edge the female used her speed once again and dodged as she rolled onto the floor and again there was a gap between the two. She had only her knife as weapon and Toh'el'ach hoped that it would be enough for her to make an honorable fight before she died.

-

Max held her knife ready for impact as she charged toward the massive creature. She aimed low and with a precisely measured cute she cut it across its inner leg. Scoffing in pain the creature took a hold of her foot before she had a chance to get away, but that didn't stop her. Max let her other foot fly to the creatures head and delivered a good blow. If it had been a normal human he would have been lying on the floor now: most likely out cold, but the kick had only managed for this creature to turn its head before it with a roar flung her across the room letting her hit the wall, hard. She could taste blood in her mouth. Spitting a merge of blood and spit, she knew that this one would not get away. She had lost her knife under her little flying lesson and she had not thought about hiding more than 4 knifes on her this night. Cursing herself for her stupidity she waited for the creature to come to her, use its own strength and weight against itself.

Slamming the creature into the stone floor hard Max took its spear; pointing at its former owner. The creature didn't stay down long and with a speed almost equal to Max's speed it launched itself on her making them both fall to the ground. The creature drew a wrist blade but Max failed to block the blow and her right arm was truck. Hissing in pain she trusted the spear into its abdomen. With a loud cry it clustered the wound as neon green blood flowed freely between its fingers.

-

The hunter had never seen anything like it, the battle had been against her all along but the way she moved made him doubt if this was just an ordinary ooman after all. Denth'onck fell and Toh'el'ach saw that the combo staff had not only been trusted through his fellow yautja's skin but it had been forced so far inside that he was beyond saving at this point. The 2 remaining bad bloods started to roar at the female as they saw their companion fall. Both Pl'as and Gan'tl attacked the ooman in anger, this was about this time Toh'el'ach decided to take out his own agenda as he really didn't wanted the 2 kill this ooman, she was his and if she would fall, it would be by his hand. Uncloaking himself he dropped from the upper platform he had been sitting on, but in the very same minute various screeches sounded not far from the entrance. All in the room turned their attention toward the sound and in came 3 hard meats not all too happy. The first charged Toh'el'ach and another charged Pl'as, the third bad blood froze as he saw the 3 black devils.

"Get yourself together this is the moment you have waited for Gan'tl, this is the entire reason why we did what we did, now show that you are a predator and not a fool." Pl'as screamed after he threw the hard meat off of him but the bad blood just stood there looking at the third hard meat in fright; then ran. Pl'as snorted at the coward of a yautja. Continuing his fight with the hard meat he promised himself that if he ever found Gan'tl again, **he** would kill him for his cowardly act. The third hard meat, whose opponent now had fled, turned its attention toward the ooman hissing seeing the apparently weaker being.

Max looked at the beast before her in horror; her mind racing with all kind of questions. First the attack from her own team mates, the attack from the weird bug that wanted to suffocate her then the creatures and now beast? _This is really not my lucky night._ She thought preparing herself for hell of a fight. The fight with it was hard and she lost her last weapon as she tried to cut a limb, her last knife dissolved in the beast's blood. _Acid, what the hell is it, some kind of a demon?_ Max was oblivious of the battles around her and didn't notice the fourth creature killing on of the same beasts that she battled with, only by breaking its neck.

Toh'el'ach felt so alive, he could feel the life disappear as he broke the neck of the hard meat. He had fought many Kainde Amedha during his time and knew how to defeat them even if it was by hand. Watching the others battle their own hard meats he saw the ooman, still alive, dancing with a Kainde Amedha of her own. He saw her loose her knife as she tried to cut its leg as she had done with Denth'onck, but the acid blood dissolved the blade and now she was unarmed. She stood ready and feisty even without her weapon and then in the attack of the kainde amedha she swilled around, took a hold of its tale and with one powerful thrust; she jammed the spear like tail directly into its own head, letting it scramble on the floor in pain a little before it died. Without looking at anything else she obtained Denth'onck's combo stick from the floor; ran out of the room and out of his sight.

Something inside of him made him want the female even more, she would be a trophy worth to his finest collection and he would gain much honor when he had her head and with that needing feeling he then scanned the room for the bad bloods. As soon they were taking care of them he would be able to hunt the female, this yautja and kainda Amedha killer and a strange feeling emerge inside of him that he hadn't felt before and couldn't explain.

Pl'as stood beside his falling hard meat staring at the hunter. "So they have sent you, not even an arbitrator yet, I don't know if I should be thankful or be offended that the elders don't see me a big enough of a threat to send you." Pl'as spoke with disgust.

"Don't waist your breath bad blood, you will need it." Toh'el'ach said returning the stare, ready to take down this scum.

Pl'as just laughed. "I will enjoy this cosine, die well." He attacked and soon both was without weapon and stood in a fight hand to hand. Pl'as soon knew that this yautja wasn't as weak as he had thought and feared loosing. Tripping the larger male he started to run the same direction Gan'lt had.

The hunter picked himself up with a light headache seeing the bad blood cowardly run out of the room. _So this is how he wants it; then let the hunt continue bad blood._ He thought as he scrambled his weapon from the floor and started to track his kin through the temple. After some time he succeeded tracking one of the bad bloods down. It was Gan'lt ad he was terrified when he saw the older honored hunter enter the room. It hadn't helped cloaking himself but he had and was hiding between two large piles of stone.

"Show yourself bad blood; gain the little honor you have left by accepting your punishment." Toh'el'ach said out loud to the young man. Gan'lt sighed, turning off his cloak he stepped into view for the hunter to see.

"I am ready." The younger man stated readied himself for his final battle.

It didn't take the older yautja long before the bad blood lay on the floor dead by the honored hunter's wrist blade. _At least he did welcome his punishment in the end._ He thought, before spreading the acid-like powder over the body where after it started too dissolved until nothing but a black spot was left for others to see. Toh'el'ach turned away from the former bad blood and started his final hunt; Pl'as. _And then it would be the ooman._ He thought; a shiver ran down his back by the thought.

-

Max ran as fast as she could, not in a million years did she want to be near all those unknown creatures. She had already killed one, but her wound on her shoulder would not help her, they were outnumbering her and that was what she disliked. Then her luck finely came to her when she saw the tail of George. Speeding up she gain in on him fast. The man saw her too late as she extended the creature's weapon and tripped him. He fell hard head on.

"Did you really think you could get away from this scumbag?" She said in a low voice, she was starting to get tired of this game of sudden death all night and just wanted to get as much out of this insect before she would kill him.

He smiled a frightened smile, standing up. "you will not get anything from me Maxine, so just let me go and I will make sure no one will get in your way again." He said.

_Does he really think that would help?_ She thought for herself snarling at the man before her. "You know I can't just let you go like that. Besides; you know something I wants to know, so spill." She replied.

He was shacking by her eyes telling him that she meant business. The only thing that when through his head was to get away from this woman as quickly as possible, so that was what he did, ran as fast as he could. But he didn't get long before he was on the floor again; looking up at the woman who he had been hired to kill, but had killed all his men instead.

"Wrong move." Max said annoyed of this man. Taking him by his throat she hoisted him up in the air. "Now tell me; who sent you and why?" She said in an even lower voice.

George who had snapped for air suddenly said in a hateful voice. "You couldn't just let it go, needed to push and that is why he wants your head. He can't use someone who can't follow orders."

Max frowned. "What do you mean?" She asked but her grip had been too tight and he snapped for the last straw of air before falling limp. She threw the body to the ground. _Who had he meant?__ It couldn't be; the fat man? He wouldn't dare do this to me. I'm the only one who can translate all this and my latest discovery; well what I have seen today will make me the only one with the knowledge and tell people. But that's it. He told me not tell the public and for the time being only be at the temple when her team was with me. He knew I would tell the people of my discovery but he wanted the find for himself, he wanted to hold the information until he had found something of value. My boss sent my team to kill me because I had gone back to the temple and because he knew I wouldn't follow his orders. _ She thought becoming furious at her boss. _He will know not to mess around with me_. She promised herself, heading for the exit.

Running she sensed someone or something chasing her. She looked back and saw nothing. She reached the main hall and there stood one of the creatures; well she hadn't met this one before, but it was the same as the others though even bigger if that could be possible. Then both just stood there waiting for the other to take the first move but neither moved a muscle. _ Man this guy is good._ Max thought as she tried to think of a way to either fight or outrun it, but all solutions ended with her dead.

Toh'el'ach was starting to get tiered of this never ending stare game and decided to make this meeting a little more interesting. Extending his wrist blade he would tell the ooman that he wanted to fight her, and yes how he had longed to fight this female. She was almost as if she possessed the same fighter spirit as one of his own and that made him want her head even more.

Max instantly moved to a fighting position when she saw the wicked wrist blade extend from its right wrist as to tell her that it was ready. She raised the spear-like weapon swirling it a couple of times in the air in front of her to distract it as she found her footing to make her actual attack. Her distraction worked as it cocked its head slightly. She let the weapon fly in a big soft bow up in the air toward it; betting on that it would follow the object instead of her and that too worked as she ran with all her force kicking it right in its stomach before she caught the weapon again.

The hunter couldn't believe he fell for her trick, she made him follow her weapon instead of her and he had been paid by a hard kick and a time on the floor. He looked at her and saw her smile a crooked smile. _Not this easy my pray_. He thought as he launched himself on her and in the process knocking her weapon out of her grasp. He could hear her make a small sound as she hit the floor with him on top of her, he could feel the enormous amount of strength beneath him as the girl threw him off of her and landed on him instead. Pinning his limbs to the floor, she tried to strangle him by forcing an arm in his neck, but as he was starting to wondering if there was a slight possibility for him to lose, she gasped and focused her eyes up and behind him. Focusing on the surrounding her too felt the hard meat and it was not far from them. The ooman had refocused her attention on the hunter and by using his own size against him she threw him off of her before she scrambled herself up from the floor.

The creature had done a well done work on her shoulder and now it was almost as numb as it could be, but that didn't stop her. This beast was far bigger and looked stronger too. It would take her and tear her apart if she didn't get a weapon soon. It hissed and then to her surprise launched itself on to the creature who had only just managed to stand up from his throw off. He raised his wrist blade and made a pretty three cuts along its eyeless head. It snarled as it howled as if it called for something. _ Or someone_. Max was just able to think as 2 beasts more came from nowhere. For the first time in her life she found the odds too bad for her to dare bet on herself as the winner. The two beasts came up on either side of her. Max with a quick move jumped and received the foreign weapon attacking one of the two. If fell quick but didn't stay down long as it broke the weapon that now was sticking into its chest. It's screamed in a painful way before attacking the female. Max stood now only with a half of a weapon with one of the beasts ready to take her down as she were. It jumped at her and miraculous she managed to jam the remaining piece of the spear into its neck. And hold it as far from her as she could. It started to grow weaker by the blood loss; which started to etch itself into the stone floor. In it's finally struggles it launched the most disgusted she had ever seen as it sent an inner mouth toward her face. She, with all her force threw it away from her and of the broken spear; which she still held in her hand ready to defend herself. She knew that there was one more that she hadn't seen since the second attacked her. Then she saw it. The creature was pinned by the first beast and the other stood ready to jam its ugly inner mouth into the creatures head. No matter how much she would like to see them all gone, something inside of her told her that she couldn't just let the creature die, she wouldn't let it. Therefore after a couple of flip flops, she threw herself on top the one who held the big creature, who now was free. She could feel the sticky slime from the beast that she now wrestled with, but by strength and intelligent she won over it and it fell dead along with the one that the creature had with his bare hands. However she didn't win without wounds and looking down at herself she saw the wound that the other creature had made on her shoulder was now double as big as it had been and was bleeding too fast for her to do anything else than feel it flow out of her as if it was her own life-energy that exited her body and with a weak step without knowing where she went she fell, unconscious.

Here you have it, the first chapter, please review and tell what you think. Happy New year to you all.


	2. Blowing up a spaceship or two

**Next chapter is on and rolling.**

**Disclaimers: Okay, I know I forgot something in the last chapter. I do not own Alien or Predators or anything, only my own characters is mine. **

**Chapter 2 – Blowing up a spaceship or two.**

Looking around Max saw all kinds of strange objects. If her body didn't ache as it did, she would have thought it was some weird dream. She saw symbols all around the walls and a panel not far from where she lay. Her shoulder had been cleaned and bandaged. _Why_? Then she remembered; remembered the strange creatures, the beasts and the killing. They all had tried to kill her, even her own team. Her boss would pay when she came back to the civilization. The young woman jumped from the cold table. The floor was cold as well and it was first now Max noticed her jacket, pants, boots and outer-shirt was gone. "What the..?" She said almost in a whisper.

The soldier immediately came up in her. If she had been kidnapped for some reason, they would regret they even knew she existed. Taking one more look at the room something seamed familiar, then it hit her. The symbols; they were almost the same as those she had been working on the last year. Reading what little she could, she soon found that she was in a medical lab of some kind. By reading further she found one of the words she was searching for: storage. Pressing the symbol, a deep drawer opened and in it laid her cloth but not her weapons. Clothing herself she headed for the door. Pressing the bottom, which said open she instantly looked for movement. None came. _I need to get out of here_, she thought; walking down the hall.

She passed a couple of doors. One read storage, one kitchen area, one fighting area and one read common area. Last was two doors; neither words could she translate. Guessing, she choice the door right in front of her instead of the one to the left and hoped that it wasn't were the creature was. Peeking in as the door opened, the first thing she saw was a huge chair in front of a dashboard of some kind. After making sure that the creature wasn't in the room she walked closer to have a better look. I was defiantly alien; but that meant that the temple was from these guys and they must have been on Earth all that time. _It must be a ship of some kind, _she thought as she started to read and understand as much as she could.

-

After Toh'el'ach had placed the young ooman girl in the infirmary and patched himself up, he headed for the bedroom. Some sleep would do him good and the female would not wake up in many hours. He drifted to sleep. Only to be waken again not more than 2 hours later. Growling at the alarm he rose from the massive bed. Checking he held an oath as the small screen showed him the ooman sneaking around in the cockpit. "C'jit!" He burst once again before he cloaked himself and off to making sure the female wouldn't escape.

The female didn't even notice the door open when he drifted inside the room. Toh'el'ach held his extended wrist blade ready if she would do something stupid. It was not like he wanted to fight the young girl, he had after all just healed her wounds, but he would not take the chance of being exposed to the rest the world by her actions. He saw the female standing over the panel to the space ship and it looked like she was reading. Shaking his head in disbelieve as he knew that the oomans didn't have the knowledge to do so, he approached the girl with a low growl to let her know that he was there.

Max had never seen anything like it. She had a lot more difficulties with reading these symbols than she had had in the medical facility. Wrapped up in her own little world of bliss she barely noticed the low rumble behind her, however when she heard it, she snapped back to the real world. Slowly turning she saw the outline of the cloaked creature standing right behind her. She wasn't as afraid of it as she had been before. If it was because she now knew what it could do or knowing that it actually had helped her even if it had kidnapped her first she couldn't tell at this time. Though she wasn't afraid she had her guards up; _who knew what could happen_, she thought.

The creature said something but it was extremely difficult for her to understand the words as they sounded like they all were forced out. "Ooman… Hold…" Out of the many growls and clicks that came along the words, was that what she got.

"Sorry?" She asked, not sure if she understood any of it. Or if it just were her imagination that made her think she had heard him talk; if you could call that talk.

He just shocked his head. "Not touch." He said, pointing at the panel. Max looked from to the dashboard, then back to him once again.

He didn't want her to touch the dashboard, why? Then she smiled at her own question; if she was in his possession she wouldn't have him touch her things either. Removing her hand from the black console she looked at him trying to take in all of him. She had had a good look at his form down in the temple, but it had still been dark and all she had seen was the outline of his body. In the light he looked really more different than she had expected. He was tall, almost 8'7 by her estimate. He still wore his mask, but most of his amour was removed and she could now see the dark yellowish molted skin underneath a mesh of some kind. The dreadlocks lay perfect down his back, right pass his shoulder blades.

"Who are you?" It came out of her mouth before she could stop herself. "Sorry that was rude; but why?" She asked and couldn't help a little smile appear as he tilted he head slightly and the blades at his wrist slid back into place. Then it hit her, she was starting to call it, him again. Yes he was clearly male, but still. He was a creature that tried to kill her not long ago. Then again, he had taken her after knocking her out and treated her wounds. That was what she wanted to know; why?

The creature clicked a couple of time before he took a step toward Max. She was startled, but stood her ground. He looked directly down at her. "Ooman… know…" Was what he could manage to get out for her to understand.

"I don't understand, what is ooman…?" She asked however an alarm cut them off as it sounded all around them.

Toh'el'ach was just about to answer the girls question, no matter how annoying they were, when the alarm brought him back to the known threat of the last bad blood. He growled once and then scooted the ooman aside so he could use the control panel. Growling deep in his throat he saw the bad blood already inside the ship. _How could he have overridden my code?_ He thought, but decided to get the answer from the bad blood just before he would kill him.

Gazing to the ooman he sighed. He needed to get the bad blood before he started anything, but what about the girl. He couldn't just leave her here.

"Is this, the one you were chasing?" She suddenly asked; her eyes still on the screen. He nodded, not feeling like producing any more of the ooman words than necessary. She just nodded back in reply. Sizing the girl, he knew that he properly would regret it, but he couldn't leave her. Locking her up would only make her hostile against him and he really wanted to learn a little more about her before he decided what to do about her.

Max saw the creature on the screen and remembered how furies the creature at her side had been at it. _I really need to find out what to call him, this is just too confusing, _she thought, shaking her head slightly. She felt a light tap on her shoulder and looked up. The creature motioned for her to follow him as he walked toward the door. She quickly followed not sure if it would be a good idea, but something in her said that it was. She followed him into the last room she hadn't been able to figure out what was for. It was a bedroom. It contained a huge bed a smaller bed stand, a door lead to somewhere she figured must be a bathroom. Watching the creature she saw him replacing his amour he had had on first time she met him. He looked at her the opened a drawer and gave her, her knife.

With a nod she took the knife. Toh'el'ach led the girl to the cargo bay, were he had seen the bad blood. Giving her a knife would maybe not be the best idea, but he wouldn't take her with him without a weapon to defend herself. He motioned for her to stop as they entered the bay. It was far the biggest room on the ship. Toh'el'ach scanned the room with his mask and there, far in the other end of the room stood the bad blood. He looked like he was injured as he limped toward a control console. He then motioned for the girl to follow him once again before he sneaked to the bad blood.

The criminal stopped what he was doing as he saw the honored hunter and started to laugh when he saw the ooman girl following the bigger hunter. "I didn't know you liked ooman pets." He chuckled at Toh'el'ach. The honored hunter just growled at the other.

"You know your crimes bad blood and your judgment will now put upon you." Toh'el'ach said with bloodlust in his voice. The bad blood stopped laughing.

"You is no match for me hunter, I will kill you and your pet. Take your ship and get away from this pathetic planet." The bad blood said with hate in his voice.

"As you wish pl'as, however it will be you who will be killed bad blood." Toh'el'ach replied. He had hoped that his cousin would have had enough honor to accept his punishment at least to regain the little honor he had left for his family, but that would not happen now and he would be the one who would end the bad bloods life.

Extracting his spear he showed the ooman away from the battleground soon to be. This was between him and the bad blood.

Pl'as took out his own spear and the fight begun. The bad blood attacked the honored hunter but he ducked the trust of the spear. He attacked again and Toh'el'ach ducked again, giving a punch back as he did so. Pl'as was furious now, how dared he? He attacked once again.

Toh'el'ach didn't even find this a challenge then he swathe bad blood attack once more. He just waited for his attacker to come to him; wearing him out, but the bad blood had other ideas. Instead of attacking him, he went directly for the little ooman. She whelped a little, but held her ground, waited to protect herself with her small knife. Toh'el'ach saw this and hurried for protect the girl, he had helped her and now he was obligated to protect her while she was in his care.

The creature ran for her, Max at first was paralyzed by fear, but quickly snapped out of it and held the knife ready for impact. She was not at her full strength, but damn anyone to think that it would make her easy victim. She leaped away from the creatures grasp just in time to avoid the long spear. He span around; attacked her again and she again steered clear from the weapon. Third time the creature attacked, obvious getting angrier at the playing cat and mouse, her 'friend' made contact with the weapon with his own. She looked up and saw him standing right in front of her, shielding her with his massive frame. He forced the creature back and into a wall with a loud clunk.

The creature roar in anger and launched himself at her 'friend' again and this time succeeded in his thrust as her 'friend' had briefly looked at Max to be sure she was alright.

"No!" Ranged the female's voice as the bad blood pushed the tip further into the upper thigh and soon the whole room trembled at the pained roar from the bad blood, along with the cry from the girl as she unknowing attacked the creature with her knife. She had aimed at his neck and it was now sitting perfectly all the way in the left side of its neck. The bad blood had already fallen to the ground; forcing the spear with him, but was not finished.

Max paid no attention to the bad blood but to the huge wound on her 'friend's' thigh which bled terribly. He hissed in pain, but the sight of the bad blood raising the spear; sending it toward the girl's exposed back. Seeing this, Toh'el'ach quickly grabbed the ooman, turned them around to shield her from the projectile. Instead the spear once again made contact with his body as it grazed his upper left shoulder. Turning, Toh'el'ach took a hold on the knife, still attached to the bad blood's neck and slide it across his troth letting the bad blood die his own blood. Proved that he had done it, that he had finished his first hunt for bad bloods alone, he could now feel the loss of blood as he felt light headed and dizzy. _This is it, may paya bring honor to my family._ He thought at he fell to the ground, but the light didn't end. He didn't feel being lifted away, but he did feel the light touch of delicate hands, he felt the pressure on his shoulder, then one on his thigh. He opened his eyes at the voice of what he could only think was an angle. It all hit him, all the pain came into his mind once again and he used all his will to suppress to roar as it felt like he was loosing his leg. He couldn't focus but something said that he should stand, so he did with much difficulties, everything was blurry and when he felt like something pulled him along he followed, not sure of anything else than if he did what the voice said he would be okay.

The wounds were bleeding dangerous and Max had only little time to get them treated or he would die. After tiding a cloth tightly around his wound on the thigh she made him stand, and walk with her toward the medical room. She had no idea what to do when she had him there but anything was better than nothing. Fumbling inside the bay she laid him on the metal bed examine the many words for something useful, she was lost. Holding pressure on the wound she found some dressing materials and patched him up the best she could with the little she had. She knew the wound would be need stitches but she just couldn't find any tread or needles to do so. Inspecting her work she decided it would do until they came to her house. Thinking she ever would take an alien with her home, made her giggle a little. Returning to what she only could guess was a computer she started to search for a plan or anything that might tell her where the exit was, but a low clicking made her stop and look at her patient, he was semi awake and seemed being in a lot of pain. She walked over to him trying to sooth him, as he started to get up but that only made him push her aside. She stumbled a few steppes back but succeeded catching herself before making contact with the wall or the floor. Seeing him about to stand she ran to him once again, but the second push was more forceful and she stumbled into the dashboard behind her which made the screen flash black with red symbols. Turning her attention to the injured creature which now was on the floor only half awake she helped him up, but the sound of an artificial voice talking the same langue as the others, she turned to the screen and this time noticed what was happening. It was not only symbols it displayed it was numbers and it was counting down.

"Shit!" She burst. She must have pushed something when she fell and this looked just too much like a countdown for something and she wasn't in mood to see what. Grabbing the very heavy man she almost dragged him along with her. The countdown had said 100 and it looked like it descended per second so she would have a little more less than 2 minutes to find a way out and get the hell out of there. Heading back to the cargo bay she found a hatch. It took he a couple of tries before it would open but it did and she managed to get both her and her friend out of the ship and a safe distant before it blew from the inside and out. Within the first wave the creature started to make contact with the living world again but the only thing she got from him was a loud and def hearing roar when the second blast came. He tried to stand but fell as soon he did and fell back to unconsciousness.

"Good no one live around here." Max said to herself as she first now remembered that she came here by bike. "Great what now? We can't for sure fit on it together and…" Then she saw the truck. It must have been her teams but they were not here anymore so that made it easy for her to load her 'friend' along with her bike on the bed of the truck and got in, high wire the car and headed toward the only place she could think of; home.

-

Toh'el'ach started to awake, slowly feeling the pressure and dull throbbing various places. His head, his thigh and his shoulder ached. Slowly he started to remember what had happened, why he was like this and then it all came back. The bad bloods, the oomans, the girl he had helped, Pl'as and how the ooman had saved him from being killed and he did the same for her. He remembered the voice; her voice telling him what to do. He remembered being afraid from something, it was hard meats. His nightmare and he had tried to push them away and then her voice came back, chased the beasts away with the sweet voice of hers. Then the vision of his ship in flames and the explosion.

"Mo!" He said out loud as he opened his eyes and tried to sit only to lie back down during to the pain.

"Welcome back to the living big fellow." He heard the ooman female's voice say. He looked at her; she was sitting in a comfy chair not far from him with a cup in her hand watching him. Then looked at the room; it was not big, only having the chair, the double size bed and a table; with the biggest mess of paper and things he didn't even knew what was, he had ever seen.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, placing the cup on a stable of papers on the table.

He just nodded to answer the question, he didn't know any other way else to do it so she would understand and it seemed like she understood as she shifted to make herself more comfortable.

"You understand me right?" Stupid question, she knew it, but just wanted to make sure.

He nodded.

"Will I be able to understand you?"

A shake of no.

"I didn't think so, or you have already tried." She said more to herself then anything else.

"Why?" he asked. He was wondering why she had saved him, why she had helped him treated his wounds like she had.

"Funny, I was about to ask you the same question." She smiled. "Because it was the right thing to do. Beside you saved my life and I won't forget that." She answered.

He just looked at her for a moment then said. "Same." She just nodded back; still smiling. For a giant alien he seamed nice in his own 'I like to kill everything around me' way.

The both sat there in silent for one more moment.

"By the way, my name is Maxine; but just call me Max." She offered.

"Toh'el'ach. My name."

"Okay please repeat the first; I don't think I got that." She said looking serious; thinking that she didn't hear him right.

He did and Max smiled again and tried to repeat what he just said. By the third try he began to chuckle at her failing attempts. "Okay, is it alright I just call you Toh, that will make it a lot easier?" She asked feeling quiet comfortable around him even though she hadn't even seen his face yet. She didn't dare to remove much of his armor thinking not to offend him and seeing the tubes from the mask, she thought he might needed it to breath and the last thing she wanted was to kill him.

"You are at my house. Do you remember the night we first met? It is now 3 days since and you received some pretty nasty wounds but they are healing well now." She looked at him with concerned eyes.

He nodded. "Bad blood. Kainde Amedha. Ship." He said with his forced words and Max just nodded though she didn't know what he meant by Kainde Amedha, but that didn't matter.

"I'm sorry by your ship." She bowed her head.

"How?" Toh asked.

"Well. Technical was it my fault but it was an accident, I'm really sorry." She said genuine.

It was unfortunate that it had happed but he couldn't blame her all together, she had helped him, not only from the bad blood but helped him out of the ship and tended to his wounds.

He felt a slight uncomfortable as his wounds started to hurt more than they had done before. He tried to shift a little but that only made it worse.

Seeing this Max was instantly at his side. "Are you in pain?" She asked starring into those hollow eyes of his mask.

Not really wanting to seam weak he shocked his head no, but she looked at him as she didn't believe him. She removed the cover that lay over him and inspected his wounds; first the one on the shoulder, then the one on the thigh. Pleased with what she saw she replaced the cover, walked out of a door and came back with a needle containing a transparent liquid.

"What?" Toh asked as she came closer to him, eyeing the needle.

"Something to take the pain and help you sleep." She answered, pricking the needle in one of his veins, injecting the sedative into his system. Toh' could already feel the effect as it soothed his pain and made him feel more tired.

Staying by his side until he drifted into sleep once again Max sat in the chair watching over the creature whose she now knew as Toh.

-

Toh woke early and saw Max sitting in the chair sleeping with her arms curled up under her and used one of her arms as a pillow. He smiled at her sleeping form. It was now 5 days since their meeting and his wounds was almost healed. She had been a good medic and remembering the day when he had seen the wound for the first time and saw it would scar perfectly, he had approved though the ooman woman had just looked at him as if he was made. Yes he had now realize she wasn't as young as he thought her to be, seeing her she had the same size of a 25 year old pup; nearly at the age of there first chiva but still too young.

He sat with little effort hoping she would wake soon as he started to get hungry and he had could smell the sweet fruits in the other room from where he sat. Waiting a moment longer, he found it to much and started to make it up from the bed and walked with only a slight limp toward the kitchen area. Max had told him to stay in bed for a couple of days more but it made him restless to just stay put, not able to do anything than watch her work on something she had called a computer. She had apologized for lack of power and wished she at least could let him watch TV, but there were currently a 'power cut' and the TV apparently needed power to work.

"Toh, what are you doing out of bed?" He heard Max's stern but sweet voice say behind him as he grabbed a fruit she had called peach. Showing her the fruit, he returned to bed, not wanting her to harangue about him not doing what she had told him. Smirking he unhooked the hoses to his mask and laid it by his side. Max came in with a piece of fruit in her hand herself, smiling at the now unmasked alien before her.

If it had been a shock for her she didn't show it, when Toh first time did the very same to eat after 4 days without food. His whole being cried for food therefore he decided it was okay for her to se him as he was. She didn't even flinch or anything that he knew oomans liked to do when they saw their faces. But this one; she just saw him right in the eyes and smiled.

He liked her smiles; they were so warm and made him feel honored every time she did so.

"Did you sleep well?" She asked, sitting in her chair; chewing on the food.

He nodded yes in reply.

"Good. Listen I need to go to the town to buy food. Can I trust you to be alone for the time I'm gone?" She asked a little unsure if she left she would come back to a burning house.

Again he nodded in reply along with an approval trilling.

She smiled and Toh was spellbound. "Good, I will probably be back some time this afternoon; feel free to eat what you want and if you must be out of bed don't try to support to much of your weight on the leg, you know what will happen if you do." She said with a smirk. Not 2 days ago he had tried to walk by himself for the first time and it had only made him plunge to the floor at the first couple of steps. He made a sound as if he was offended but both knew other wise.

"Promise." He said; licking the juice from the now consumed fruit.

**That's all folks! Hope it fell to your liking, now push the little button named; submit review and tell me what you think. No flames though. **


	3. Nanobots

**Disclaimers: I do not own anything except my own characters. I do not make any money on this story; if I did, I wouldn't be forc****ed to use this old piece of . **

**Anyhow enjoy and see what'll happen between Toh and Max.**

**Chapter 3 ****– Nanobots**

The drive into the town was long and not all that eventful; all Max could think about was the last words of George before she had killed him. _"You couldn't just let it go, needed to push and that is why he wants your head. He can't use someone who can't follow orders."_ Max frowned; her boss had send them to kill her. He would be surprised when she dropped off a message and she couldn't wait to see his face by that time.

She pulled inside an abandoned alley; wanting to surprise him, she started to climb the stairs to his office. No one was there except for the fat man. She hadn't known he had been a member of the mafia before a week before her little face to face with George, but she didn't care now. She could hold her own, and who would expect her. The little sweet archaeologist who used all her time with her work and nothing else? Sneaking inside she walked up behind him.

"Hallo boss." She said barely a whisper.

The man stopped with his reading, snapped his head behind him, but no one was there. Max had moved so he wouldn't be able to see her; again she moved up behind him.

"You wanted me dead!" She hissed in his ear and again she was gone by the time he turned around.

"H… He… Hello? Is anybody here?" He asked standing up trying his best to scout the whole room for intruders, but found none. What he didn't see was the young woman hanging from the ceiling. When she saw he was calming down again, she made the finale move. The man screamed as she dropped right in front of him with such grace that you should have thought she was part cat.

"M. M. Maxine?" He stuttered looking at her like she was a ghost.

"What is the matter Boss, you don't look pleased to see me." She said with a smirk.

He tried to smile but only managed to perform a grimace of fright. "Of course am I glad to see you."

"Liar." She found it funny that he in a million years thought he could get away with trying to kill her and then lie about it in her face.

"I. I. I don't…"

"Oh I think you know what I'm talking about. You know, I received a really funny call that my team had found something very exciding and needed my translations skills. Stupid as I am, I listening to them; they are my friends after all. But when I arrive to the scene they were nowhere near to be found until one of them tried to kill me. Funny right? Then after killing them all; one… By… One… George was the last and right before he took the last breath he told me everything." She said with a fake voice of humor but ended with disgust as if she had tasted something really awful.

"I. I. Don't." He muttered but stopped as she drove a hand around his windpipe.

"Don't insult me bad blood." She had heard Toh call the now dead creature for that and by her judgment he liked the alien bad blood just as less as she liked this scum.

His eyes widened. "You have met one of them?!" He whispered through his chocking. She loosed her grip a little but not enough for him to get away.

"What do you know about them?" She asked with narrowed eyes.

He laughed. "They are evil; demons."

This was it. She didn't know much about Toh, but evil was on thing he wasn't and only for the fearful and weak minded would call him a demon. With little effort she squished his neck tighter until it crushed under the force. The man struggled for a minute but eventually fell to the ground; dead. Going through the dead mans files she found what she was looking for, it said; alien encounters.

-

Toh saw the sky turning from light blue to grey to pink to violet. He couldn't believe how many colors this earthen sky could have during a cycle of a day. He saw the sky but his thoughts swirled around something completely different; or rather someone. Max. She had been on his mind all day and he just couldn't figure out why. Every time he tried to think about something else it always reminded him of the little ooman who's dwelling he now resident along with her. It would be dark soon and he was starting to get worried for her. Not that she didn't have the abilities to protect herself; he just didn't like that she was away for so long without him knowing where she was or what she was doing.

In that moment the sound of the front door open reached his ears and with a loud sigh he saw Max standing in the living room with two large bags of groceries. Plopping from the couch, he hurried to help her with the bags; she gladly let go of one of them and let him carry it out to the kitchen.

"Thanks." She said with a little hint of extortion. He helped her with putting the newly bought food to where they belonged, neither spoke. _She doesn't look too well._ Toh though for himself seeing the lack of energy and small talk she usually did when they were together.

The evening was spent in silence, Max not having the same amount of energy she normally had and Toh pounding on what was wrong; if he had done something wrong. First after he had returned to bed he knew. The small house didn't have a second bedroom or even a second bed. Every morning he had woken she had been sleeping in the chair in front of him. That was what was wrong, she was lacking sleep and it was his entire fault. Not compelling to sleep on the couch he decided to take matters in his own hands, taking the sleeping form from the chair and carried her to the bed. It was big enough for the both of them so he lay beside her, watching how she started to relax at the coziness of her bed he smiled and soon drifted off to sleep himself.

The next morning Max woke surprisingly well rested and without the aching she normally had when she had had the last week. Then it hit her, she was lying down; she had a cover over her and an all familiar sound of Toh's steady breath was all too near. She was in her bed?! Opening her eyes she found her statement correct, but how? She tried to crawl out of bed without wakening up the sleeping man, who was facing away from her, but as she was lying between him and the wall she found that very difficult as she tried to crawl over Toh.

_Almost there_. She thought, then something unexpected happed, he turned around sweeping her legs away under her and she landed right on top of him. Toh woke up imminently and found the extra weight on top of him he instinctively took a hold of her waist to support her. _Wait; her?_ He focused his eyes on the smaller form which straddled him and found two very big violet eyes looking back at him. If he had been shocked before, he was now suddenly aware of their position and became very aware of his starting arouse. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out; he was lost into those beautiful violet eyes.

"I'm sorry, I…" Max mumbled as she tried to get off the bigger male but his grip held her where she was. "Toh?" This must have taking him back to the real world course he suddenly let go and she quickly slipped off and with out any other word closed the bathroom door behind her.

-

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" She scolded herself as she took off her cloth and started the shower. Thankful for the little piece of invention that could turn water warm without power; she let the hot water hit her front as she stepped in, then the back. It was southing and helped her relax. Not fully sure of what had happen only few minutes ago she tried to figure out how she had ended in the bed in the first place. And when she had landed on Toh why hadn't she just let him know that she wanted off, she could have forced him; it wasn't like she lacked the ability to do so and those amber eyes they had almost swallowed her. She had even enjoyed the touch of his hands even for a brief second wished they were placed a little further down on her body. _No you won't. You remember what happens to those who come to close to you; it isn't pretty. You're better of alone. Get in get out, remember? _Hermind was pulled in two different directions and she was starting to loose to both sides. Deciding that it all had been an accident and she would let time tell her what to do about the newly discovered feelings; finding out what the feelings exactly was.

-

When Toh heard Max's outburst from the other room he couldn't stop a sad smile appear. He had really enjoyed the feeling of her body resting on his, he had been swallowed by her eyes and only her voice had brought him back. That was why he decided a time away from her would be for the best. He had almost drawn her to him, letting himself loose control by her scent. Paya that scent was divine and by the look at himself he recalled what she had done to him. Clothing himself he left the house after have written a note to Max. If she would be able to read it he didn't know, but it was better than leaving nothing. He cloaked himself and with help from his wrist device he headed for his ship or rather what was left of it.

-

Max stepped out of the bathroom ready to apologize for the rather rude way she disappeared but he was no where near to be found. Only a note left on the bed caught her eyes. It war written in his language and not all like the one she knew from her own work. She tried to read:

_I leave … … on … …. I don't know … I … … back. …. _

"Well that made sense." Max said to herself as she once more tried to read the note, but when she even with her notes couldn't figure it out she just let it be. He would be back she knew it; yes the note could indicate both things but she knew he wouldn't leave her like this not even after their little accident this morning. With that thought she started to go through the file she had 'borrowed' the previous day.

_Subject:__ Name unknown_

_First encounter:__ First register of subject stats to 1904, first eyewitness encounter states to 2004. No survivors; aliens or humans._

_Physical states:__ They are very massive build; all encounters had been between 7'6 to 9 feet tall. They have mandibles and an inner mouth with exposed sharp teeth. They have all dreadlock looking hair (need a specimen to complete theory) they have all been very strong and very fast. Subjects have even healed on an extraordinary fast rate (need specimen for testing). All encounters have been males of what eyewitnesses have been able to tell; theory, none sex specimen. _(Max frowned)

_Mental stats:__ The subjects have all have an unknown drive to kill, or hunt, as several eyewitnesses have called it. They, though in position of technologies far superior to our own, seems primal and my theory is they have lack of further intelligent but are mere animals that steel from others to evolve._

_Further notes:__ From first encounter to this date there have been 10 encounters in total. The subjects have been seen all over the globe and therefore yet can't tell were the next will be located. The subjects have all been encountered during killing civilian, police and military personal. All victims had been carried a weapon or had been acting aggressive toward the subjects before the killing._

_There have been authorized a very interesting experiment; during investigations through the former World Alliance, there have been encountered a group of gene enchanted soldiers who I have the honor of find and use to what pleases me. I have yet to locate the 5 soldiers however when I do, they will be the elite of my force to track and kill those vile aliens and bring the specimens to me. _

"What the…" Max couldn't believe what she had read. She knew most of it in the first place but they had discovered her and her siblings. They were in danger, her siblings, she needed to warn them, needed them to hide or they would be force into killers just like they all had been trained and bread to do. And Toh, what would happen to him if he was discovered. They would kill him; drag him along to one of their fancy facilities and experimented on. Just the thought made her sick.

First thing first; she needed to warn her brothers and sister. Tell them what was waiting for them and make them disappear. It would be hard, one already had a family and make them leave would almost be against her own judgment, but it was necessary at least for now.

Forgetting all about breakfast and everything else she ran to her bike and hurried to find her family.

-

Cursing himself that he had blown the bad blood's ship, he now looked at the miserably rubbles that was left of his ship. Toh dug through the remains and found a couple of things he could save. His communications device was busted but with some luck he would be able to fix it that was the same with some of his clothing, medicine and what he was very glad was intact. It was a needle with nanobots who was programmed to attach themselves to that part of the brain that handled sounds and made the user able to understand a dozen of languages well known along the universe. After using this on Max he would be able to get some questions answered and he had a lot of them. However, he decided it would be best to do it when she was asleep as he knew oomans wasn't that thrilled about needles and he wouldn't want this one to be frightened of him.

Digging further the smile he had had earlier vanished as he saw his entire trophy collection had been transformed to a bunch of pieces and dust. This had been his pride to show when meeting others. He would have been able to tell all the stories of how every skull had ended on his prized wall and along he could show them the scars that belonged to the tale. And now they all were demolished to nothing of use.

Anger started to rise inside of him, but he kept it under control and kept telling himself that it was not her fault that she didn't mean to blow it all up and let it all burn while she saved his life.

Gathering what he had found and hiding the debris from both his and the bad bloods ships he cloaked and started to walk back to the small house. It would take a while with the added weight; the thought of Max entered his mind for the thousands time that day and the thought came back to where he had her in his arms, on top of him. He could so easily have done so many things with her that she would have begged him for more. _Yes a long walk was just what I need._ He thought as he felt a tingling feeling between his legs.

-

Taking a deep breath Max knocked on Tanya's front door. It was a little more than a year since they last spoke and coming here could be considered dangerous but she needed to do this. An unknown man opened the door only in a pair of boxes looking rather annoyed. _Well she has at least not changed_. Max thought.

"I need to speak with Tanya."

"And who's asking?" He asked rather rude. _I don't need this._

"Listen pall, get Tanya now or I'll get her myself." She stated staring into the guy's eyes, telling him she meant business.

"I don't think so. Now leave before I make you." He said angry and was about to slam the door in her face when she grabbed it and forced it open with one hand.

"You don't want to mess with me, now move!" Max didn't let him get the change to move himself but just forced him out of her way and into the apartment. It was rather dirty and everything looked like it was rotten and could collapse any second.

"I don't know who you think you are but you can't come here and bust in like this…" Max didn't let the man finish as he laid a hand on her shoulder. Faster than he ever had seen anyone be, she took a hold of his wrist turned at with a sickening braking sound it she forced him onto the floor.

"Don't you ever again touch me!" She hissed then left him lying on the floor with a broken wrist and a couple of fingers if her judgment was right.

Walking inside the dark bedroom, the first thing she noticed was the thick smell of sex, it racked her whole being and then she saw her. Tanya lying on the bed sobbing her eyes out.

Sitting on the edge of the bed she scooped the crying girl to her. "Oh, Tanya." Max sighed knowing that though they all had been blessed with strength far superior than normal humans, this girl always ended up in these bad relationships. That was why they had the big fight a year previously; Max had tried to make Tanya see what was going on, that she just couldn't let the first and the best asshole say he loved her and then beat the shit out of her.

"Maxine?" The sobbing girl said soft.

"Yes I'm here Tanya. Come let us find your things and get out of here." Max said and without any arguments, Tanya just nodded and together they packed her cloth and a few of her personal belongings; then headed for the front door. The man still sat on the floor looking at the two women as they came from the bedroom.

"Bitches!" He said with hate in his voice.

The only thing Max needed was to look at the man and he crumbled as if she had threatened to hurt him.

When they were outside Max flopped her cell-phone open and dialed Terry's' number.

"Hallo?" sounded a man's voice in the other end.

"Terry, it's Max; listen, Tanya and I are coming over in about 30 minutes, Gather the others, I have something that you all need to hear." Max said swift.

"Okay but why the rush?"

"I'll tell you when I'll arrive, now round up the others." She didn't even give him time to ask any other questions before she hanged up.

"Now, can you ride?" She asked the still scared girl. She nodded not able to form any words yet.

(A half an hour later)

"Now tell me what is that urgent that I needed to send my girl home?" Terry asked annoyed but still eager for the news, then saw his sister he went quiet. It had been a quiet a while since they all had a 'family' meeting and he wanted to know why she wanted one now so suddenly.

"We have been discovered." Max stated out in the room where all her remaining brothers sat.

"What? That can't be." Ian said rising from the chair.

"Impossible, you said it yourself. World Alliance had cleaned there tracks." Paul said accusing.

"I know what I said but that was 5 years ago, this is now, I have proves and not have they discovered that we exist but they want to use us. I don't know if they know about the chip but if they do they can make us their slaves. I hate the idea of leaving but that is the only thing that makes sense right now." She tried to reason, solely looking at Ian. He had a child, soon turning 4 and making him leave would be very hard, but she had to try.

"What kind of proves are you talking about?" Terry asked looking more worried. It had taken them over 5 years to get comfortable and now they were forced to move again.

"A file that I found; it's not good guys they are at our ass and coming close."

"How do we know this file is the real deal?" Paul asked not so polite.

"Respect lieutenant!" Terry hissed at the slightly older man man.

"Because I don't know any other group of 5 gene enchanted soldiers on the former World Alliance payroll." Max said crossing her arms.

"Colonel, where should we go?" Terry asked worried.

"I don't know yet. In the moment sit put but be ready to go within an hours notice.

"Why don't we meet you tomorrow at your place to..?"

"No!" Max cut Ian off. "The next meeting will be in two days, here; if that's alright with you major?" Terry nodded to his commander.

"If that's all." Paul said with no interest in the small talk that had started between Ian and Terry. Max nodded and he bid them goodbye; walking out of the house.

With that, Ian decided he also needed to go and with a farewell and a promise of giving his daughter a big hug from them all, he left.

"How are you feeling? Sorry to drag you along like this but I think you'll understand." Tanya looked up from her trance and saw her bigger sister standing with a hot cup of tea ready for her. Thanking and seized the cup she let out a sigh.

"No I'm sorry big sis and thank you. For everything." She smiled and received an even bigger smile from Max.

"Hey what's family for?" She hugged her little sister then turned her attention toward Terry. "Do you mind letting your sister stay here for a couple of days?" She asked.

"No of course not, you can use the guest room, Tanya." He answered showing the girl to a nearby room. Only minutes later he returned alone. "What happened, it's a long time since I have seen her like this?" He asked worried.

Max sighed. "You have 3 guesses. I found her crying on the bed with some asshole in her apartment. I don't think he will be there by tomorrow but I'll go check anyway. She just let herself love too easily and attracts the wrong kind of men in the hope of being loved back."

"Poor girl; first thing she did was fall asleep on the bed. Nothing else, not even thinking about changing or going under the covers."

"I know. Well I must be going too, I have a lot to do this evening, keep an eye on her will you?"

With a promise and a hug, Max stepped out of the building and let the engine roar through the early evening. Her thoughts slowly changing from her siblings to her secret guest and wondered why she didn't tell them about Toh, but something in her mind told her not to and that was good enough for her; for now anyway.

-

Toh had at last reached the small house, his leg throbbed and shoulder ached by the many hours work. He longed for the relaxation of the couch and luxuries of Max's cooking. He found a dim light through out one of the windows so therefore knew that Max had to be home as well. Had she waited for him the whole day? No she wasn't like that; she must have seen the note then done her own things until he returned. Coming through the front door he could smell the wonderful smell of food cooking in the kitchen and as it had enchanted him he dumped his newly received things and headed to see what kind of meal the ooman would make this time.

Then he saw her and the sight made him forget all about the previous thoughts. She sat in her chair with her legs up under her as she usually did, working on her laptop. She had only a candle and the light from the screen to shine for her and in the light, her well shaped body glowed. Her dark blond hair cradled her face like a frame and sitting there only in a small top, he had the urge to touch her perfect skin; wanting to feel how she felt under that thin piece of cloth.

"Are you going to come in and say hallo or are you just going to stand there the rest of the evening?" Max said with a not so serious voice, without looking up.

Toh just smiled, yes that was also one of the many things he admired her for. She always knew that he was watching, even when he was clocked. He stepped inside their bedroom looking over her shoulder to see what she was doing and if he could, and was not too proud to do it, he would have dropped his jaw. She was reading his language and not all by that but it was the ancient tongue only few knew. Now he really wanted her to understand him as he now was so full of questions that he might burst if that was possible.

Noticing Toh's change of behavior she looked at him with concerned eyes. "Are you alright Toh?" He just looked at her, then the screen. Seeing this she let a small smile cross her lips. "Yes it is your language however since this is over a thousand years old, yours a bit more developed than this is." She explained. "Sorry but it is a lot more different than yours so I have a lot more trouble with the recent language. I couldn't even read your note completely." She almost apologized. Max felt a little bad that she couldn't understand him or at least read his words but it was as hard as for someone who only knew English to start read Latin just a lot harder.

Toh heard her explaining but couldn't completely understand the words meaning. "You read?" He asked pointing at the screen.

"Yes that's what I just said."

"How?" He wanted to know; he needed to know.

"I found a tablet a couple of years ago and it led me to the temple where we met a couple of months ago. I have used the last two years to learn the language so I could understand the people who once used it better." She answered looking up into his eyes not sure if what she told him was a good thing or a bad.

_Two years. She has only used two years to learn to read our most prized language. The language that only the most skilled elders can apprehend and only fully mastered by 9 through out our whole race; How? _Toh thought forgetting that he was looking at her like she just had grown an extra arm. Snapping out of his trance he quickly looked away, not wanting her to feel bad.

"Toh what's wrong?" She was now sitting on her knees facing him, cupping his face in her hand. Unconscious, he leaned into the touch catching her eyes with his.

"Not many read like you, how?" He explained and her newly found concerned disappeared along with the hand from his face. Instantly he missed the soft and warm touch from her delicate hand, but resisted his desire to take her hand in his.

"I have always been a fast learner it's in my blood." She said. "Now are you hungry? I have made something I think you would like." She smiled her exquisite smile that he craved so much.

They both headed for the kitchen when he saw her frown and seeing his things scattered all over the living room he couldn't blame her.

"You have been busy I can see." She smirked. Rumbling a form for apology she didn't understand anyway, Toh started to gather his things together. "If you don't know where to put those," She pointed to the bag. "I have a shack out in the yard you could use. It a little occupied but together we could clear that out of the way." She offered.

Toh liked that, having a place he could use and possible start his new collection of trophies would be good. Nodding to let her know he liked the idea they started to eat and she was right he liked the food.

-

Later that evening, Max had cleaned after diner with Toh's dislike as according to him it was only etas and servants that did that, and decided that she needed some serous sleep. After she had changed, she spoke still behind a closed door of her bathroom. "Toh, now that you have healed I want you to sleep on the couch, do you understand?"

Toh looked at her insulted, sleep on something that small. "Mo." He said shocking his head though she couldn't see it.

"Come on Toh, I'm not going to abandoning my own bed just because you are picky." She stated; entering the bedroom once more. She crossed her arms and shot him a glare.

Seeing her standing there only lighten by the dim light of a candle she looked astonishing. She had changed into a long cream colored silk dress which was only held up by a couple of thin straps around her shoulders. Her hair hanged loose and waved down along her covered back.

"Mo." He repeated.

"What do you mean by no, I…" She started but he cut her off by sweeping her up in his strong arms. "Toh what are you doing, put me down?" She part giggled part scolded as the rush of adrenalin started to kick in. He didn't though, he carried her to her bed and gentle laid her on the furthest side of it, then after blowing out the flame from the candle he laid beside her.

"Oh no, we can't Toh. This isn't right, we could… I mean this is…" Max started to babble and a smell he hadn't smell before started to radiate from her; fear. _But why?_ He thought studying her as she started to scoop so far away from him that she could; not carrying that she that way would be without any cover to keep her warm.

Reaching over, Toh placed the cover over her lying body, snuggled a little closer so they both could fit under it he closed his eyes only waiting for her to calm down and hopefully soon fall asleep. He really wanted to give her the injection and didn't know how long he could keep himself awake.

An hour later and Max had finally fallen asleep. Toh let out a barely noticeable sigh before contracting the needle from his cloth that lay on the floor. "Just be still and tomorrow you'll be able to understand me and then we can have our chat." He whispered clearing her neck from a lock of hair. The needle pressed lightly on her skin and it broke through and into the vein however he barely succeeded injecting the 'bots as Max with a jolts sat up which broke the needle.

Looking confused and hurt at Toh she clustered the needle in her hand. "What are you doing?" She yelled angry at the creature that had taken advantages of her sleeping being. He tried to explain but she cut him off before he even could say a word. "I don't want to hear it, just get out." She shouted, ready to kick him out of the bed and only a moment later she threw the broken needle after him in hope that it would force him out of the bed but he just sat there waiting for her to calm down. However she didn't; more like boiling over and seeing him not do what se had told him proved to be too much for her. "Get out now or else." She said in a deep voice.

Toh narrowed his eyes. "Or you do what?" He asked, closing the space between them so she was forced to look up to be able to look at him.

"You really don't want to know. One more chance or I'll throw you out!" She replied

"I will not leave and neither will you. We will both calm down Max." He said, relaxing a bit when he saw her confusion started to show.

"What..? Wait a minute, either you just received a crash course in English or something is way off… Is this a dream?" She asked, confusing herself not sure what to believe as even with her fast learning skills this was way too fast for her to even start to understand what he was saying.

Toh smiled by her new doubts, not that it suited her, but now she would at least hold her anger until he gave her some answers.

"I injected nanobots into your system which is currently translating for you. I'm sorry for startling you, I just didn't know how else to give it to you." He explained still smiling.

"You could have asked." She mumbled looking down.

Toh tilted her head up so he could see her eyes. "And how would you understand my question woman?"

"Don't call me woman and you're right I would properly kick your ass when you've showed me the needle." She said with a smirk.

"You wouldn't be able to win in a fight, last time was only luck and I'll call you woman if I wish." He said playful. They were close enough for him to feel her breath upon his skin and the smell of fear she had racked of had changed to something so more sweetly. _She must be in heat_, he thought really liked the idea of that.

"It was not luck and you know it, I kicked your ass fair and square."

"You want a rematch to see who's the strongest, woman?" He continued, enjoying where the conversation headed.

She smiled with a fire in her eyes he never had seen before. "Love to, but right now I want to get some rest." She said yawning to amplify her need. "What about tomorrow then?"

"That would be my pleasure; I will try not to hurt you too much." Toh smiled overconfident at his skills and that it would be an easy victory; completely forgetting how strong she had been the last time he had fought her.

"Keep dreaming alien-boy." She laughed; laying down she looked up at Toh. "Why will you not sleep on the couch?"

He cocked his head to the side. This made her giggle a little once more. "Why should I, there is enough space for both of us in this bed and I don't like sleeping on something smaller than I am." He answered. _Paya she is beautiful lying there. It's almost like she is only waiting for me to claim her._

"I still don't like it, but let us sleep, okay?" She placed a hand on his and dragged him down to a lying position beside her. By this he could smell her scent once more and it was almost driving him mad. Turning, he tried to focus on something else than her heavenly scent, her deep breathing and slight touch they joined under the cover. It took him a long time before he fell asleep.

**There you have it, the third chapter. Hope you liked it. Please leave a nice review before you leave, it'll make me write faster and that means faster update****s to you guys… **


	4. Family and Feelings

**First I just want to say thanks to those who have left a review; ****Buffalocatz, Bee, karine.snake, Cybernetic Mango and MigetX; without you and the nice reviews I think it would have taken a lot longer for this story to flow.**

**Disclaimers: Ah, yes always remember the disclaimers. So, I do not own anything that doesn't belong to me. Makes sense right? **

**Chapter 4 – Family and feelings **

The next morning Max seemed more a live than she had been in a long time. Remembering the last time she tried to get out of bed by climbing over Toh she decided just to wait for him to awake. Studying the man, she traced every muscle she could find, then every scar; wondering how he had received so many scars yet sill able to show them without any shame or regrets. One caught her eyes more then the others as it trailed from his right shoulder, over his torso and ended mid stomach. She traced it with a finger lightly. But as she reached the end of it a large hand enclosed hers.

"That tickles." A sleepy voice said from above her head.

"Good morning sleepyhead." Max smiled at the male who still held her hand in his.

"Morning." He was able to mumble as he slowly drifted off to a half asleep half awake state of mind.

"Come on Toh, the sun is up, the birds are singing and a whole new day is waiting for us to conquer." Max giggled trying to wake the drowsy man.

He opened one eye to look at her. "I can't hear anything." He mumbled, closing it again.

"You know what I mean." She laughed. Giving up in wakening the big guy she now tried to get her hand back. Which only resulted in him enfolded her with both of his arms drawing her into a hug; inhaling her scent deeply.

He started to give of his own musk and though normally humans couldn't smell it, Max could and it made her unsure of her own feelings. She really wanted to stay in his arms, feeling his touch but another part of her, that part that had held her from any kind of previous relationships told her that she was too close and needed to get away from him.

Luckily for her, Toh had already awakened and slowly let her go to get up. Blushing Max hurried to the bathroom. A nice cold shower would do her good.

Toh looked at the closed door. _What was I thinking?_ He scolded himself as he started to get dressed. He too needed a shower but that would wait until Max was finished with hers. He tried to stop feeling like a young blood ready for his first hunt. He was an honored hunter soon to be arbiter, the youngest to date. He needed to keep his feelings in control or he would lose honor by his rash actions. At least, he needed to wait for her to be ready.

This proved a little harder than he had thought only seconds ago as Max re-entered the room only drabbed in a towel. Not knowing it, he started to purr at the sight. Instantly Max looked up and their eyes met. Blushing Max left for her closet to change into some new cloth. Toh now desperately needed that shower.

They eat breakfast in silence, none knowing what the other was thinking, thought hey both was thinking the same. What if?

Max needed to check on Tanya's apartment so she told Toh that she would be back before lunch before she left. Toh used the time to go through his things he had collected the previous day. Most needed repairs of some kind; his note pad (equal to a handheld laptop) was one of the only things that seemed unharmed. Some of his weapons had survived as well but it was his handheld long range communicator he was most worried for as it was serious busted and needed a lot of repairs before it would work again, but he needed to do it. Somehow he didn't care how but if he didn't he would be stuck on this backwater planet for an eternity.

-

In the meantime Max drove a little faster than she really needed to get to town but the wind and speed seemed to blow all her thoughts away and only left her the road and bike left to think about. The drive was all too short as she found herself in front of the building that she had been in the day before. She first knocked; no answer. Knocking once more she heard something. If she had been normal she would have dismissed it to be a rat or from one of the other apartments but she wasn't normal and knew that it came from something bigger than a mere rat and it came from Tanya's place.

Sighing, Max started to pick the lock and only moments later the door was open, but she was not able to open it. A chain was on it to prevent burglars to enter. _Great_. She thought, giving a forceful push the chain broke and she was inside. The same man that had been there last time was standing right in front of her with a gun in his good hand as the other was in plaster.

"Stay where you are or I'll shoot." He threatened aiming at her.

"Listen pall, I thought you got the picture last time we met, beside this is not your apartment but my sister's, so you're trespassing on her property." She said a little tiered of being threatened all the time. It was like a bad habit that she just couldn't get rid off.

"No way this is my place too and it's you who's trespassing bitch, now get out or I'll shoot." He said straining his voice not to sound like a girl.

Smirking at his threat she with speed like no other, jumped right at him, took the gun. Disposing her of the gun she took a good hold of the jerk and flew him out of the window watching him try to learn how to fly in 2 seconds; he failed.

"Lucky bastard." She growled as she saw him land in a dumpster right under the window. _Well the apartment is now cleared for pests._ She thought closing the door behind her as she walked out of the place. No one would dare step into that place again in a long time.

-

Max returned as promised just before lunch and after they had something to eat, she showed Toh the shack.

"I know there's a lot of junk inside, but when we're finished you will have a place for your things." She said smiling. He nodded in approval. It took them the most of the afternoon to clear out in all her old things and clean year old dust off but they managed to get it back in a condition that they both could be proud of.

"So what do you think?" She asked Toh who was starting to put away the last of his things.

He turned to face the female. "It's perfect, however there's missing something." He said with a small smile upon his face.

"What?" Max smirked; she could see he had planed something.

He turned to her; pushed her shoulder.

"What was that for?" Now she was official bewildered.

"A challenge. Let us see who is the strongest, woman." He said ready to receive the first punch.

With that Max got it and found it exciding, pushing him back they started their own little brawl and soon they both stood panting and bruised but still very eager to beat the other.

"You are good, that I must give to you." Max said between breaths.

"You are not bad yourself, however now I must demonstrate that no matter how good you are, I'm better, woman." He said with a smirk.

Max sent him an annoyed look. "I told you not to call me, woman." She said as they started their fight once again. She gave in a blow.

"I call you woman if I want to. Woman." He chuckled, letting her have a couple of blows herself.

"No you don't; I bet you won't call yautja females that." She said rolling away from a kick.

"I would, but only if I wanted them to be excessively willing to mate." He said amused; looking at the female that acted as if she had been petrified and used the moment to tackle her. He had thought she would have been fighting back, but was proven wrong as they both stumbled on to the ground; him on the top of her. First he was worried that his weight might have crushed her but she was still breathing, looking at him with big eyes. _That smell, is she frightened of me?_ He thought, staying were he was; not thinking of their position anymore.

"Max, are you alright?" he asked, worried that she might have bumped her head on the fall. She blinked a couple of times to get the moistness back.

"What?" She asked in a small voice. She was clearly not herself as she just lay still, looking up at the male on top of her. Then it was as something snapped. She flipped Toh right off her and without a word she ran. Toh looking at the fleeing female; he was more confused of this woman than he ever had been of anyone else. Why was she so afraid when he was near her and the way she acted when he told her that he liked her as a possible mate? She was acting like no other female he knew or had heard of. Picking himself off the ground, Toh started walking back to the house and the place he had seen Max's form disappear into. However she was nowhere to be found and her bike was gone. _She must be taking a drive to clear her head._ He thought not sure if that was good or bad.

-

Max let her bike drive faster than any road ever would allow but she didn't care. Tears that flowed from her eyes clouded her view but she still didn't care. If she would crash she wouldn't care. All she could think about was the alien that just had told her that he wanted her. Not for a trophy or friend, but as a mate; whatever that meant. She had been feeling so out of place whenever he was near and the many times she had been forced to hide her blushing for the yautja, so she wouldn't make a fool out of herself, was starting to be to obvious. But that was all without words. This was much more than just a fling or was he just thinking that she was the typical female and he was some kind of Don Juan? Her feelings flowed through her with such a force, she didn't know what to think, she like the big guy even for his not so beautiful face that she had learned to like. His way to express so many expressions that she adored, was enough for her to relax, smile and let all her worries slip away and let her think it all through. He was not the savage creature that she thought he was that first night. They had use the whole afternoon with talking, laughing and joking. He told her about himself and his people; that they were called yautja and was a people with much pride and lived for the hunt. She had told him about the war; about the former World Alliance and how it all went from bad to fucked. She smiled by the thought of Toh's fascination of her old car that actually ran on gas. She had told him that it was a gift from her uncle long back and it was very difficult to find gas anywhere to make it run; he had almost begged her to show him how it worked.

Max shocked her head._ Don't think like that. You don't need any man like that. Get in, get out; remember? I can't let him think I am like all those girls who would say yes just because he asked. I won't be a victim; not again. I have my life and that worked fine. Yes he makes me smile, but what about later? I can't let myself be like Tanya, begging to be loved and not realize that it all just is a lie._ She thought speeding her engine even further driving out to no mans land. There was one man she needed to see. She drove away from all trace of civilization and first a couple of hours later she stood in front of the only man she ever had trusted in her whole life.

"Hey Tom, how you been?" She asked the white gravestone between the oak trees and wild flowers. She let herself fall to her knees; traced the engraved letters. It said: Dr. Thomas G. Wilder, beloved friend and a true hero. Remember; never give up.

"Yes, never give up. You always said that, whenever they did some tests or would give us our daily training. If I had a dad, you would be it. You always believed in me, even when every one else didn't and you always had an answer to everything even if I didn't understand them all the time. So tell me, what should I do? I don't know what to do, it all happens so fast that I can't think. When ever I'm with Toh I feel like I can fly, that I'm complete, but when he looks at me the way he does and when he touch me I can't help thinking about Frank and what he did to me. Please Tom, tell me how to get rid of one of these feelings; I can't have them both inside of me or I'll turn mad." She sighed as she lowered her head letting a small smile appear.

"You know, Toh actual told me that he wanted to mate me and keep calling me woman. You would properly laugh if you saw us, but he took me completely off guard and he beat me, he really beat me. But don't worry it will be the first and the last time. I don't know what to tell him, I just left without a word. I don't want to make him feel weird by telling me this, but again, I don't know why I'm so nice to him, if he had been any other guy he would already be out of my life and all forgot. But then again, he's not any other guy, he's an alien Tom and no he doesn't know. Well I think he has an idea that something is not right but he hadn't said anything yet." She let her hand fall to the ground; tracing the green grass in front of the stone.

"I wish I could talk with you, not only to you Tom. I know you were old, but why didn't you take the gene yourself? You could easily have at least 30 maybe even 60 years more if you had and we would have had you among us a little longer. We all are a little worried about the life-extension that you created into our DNA base, We have now lived 30 years and yet we all still look 18, luckily people around here have other things to think about than the 5 of us." She sighed once again just before she stood.

"It was nice to talk to you Tom, I feel so much better and now I think I know what to do about Toh; I will not give in. Get in, get out. That is what I always say and will not change that. If I want something, it will be my decision and he will learn that too. Thanks doc." She finished before she walked away and turned back toward her house and the man she left. She now knew what to do and he wouldn't like it, but he would respect her decision.

-

The drive back seemed somehow longer than when it was the way out. She finally reached her home. Toh looked up expectant at her as she walked in. He sat with one of his gadgets from his ship in his hand.

"Are you alright?" He asked worried, putting down the thing he was working on and stood.

Max smiled at him. He seamed so sweet and innocent when he stood there, like a little puppy that knew it had done something wrong, but not what. "Yeah, I'm alright, just needed some fresh air. Sorry about the run off." She said before she headed for the kitchen, it was late and if she was hungry, Toh was starving.

"Yes, I have been thinking about that; not that I regret telling you of my…" he lingered.

"Lust?" Max offered; she started to prepare the groceries.

"I would have said, my longings, but anyway, I'm truly sorry if I upset you, Max."

"Apology's accepted, just don't it again." Max said, hoping that it would be that easy to get out of it.

Toh smirked. "I am sorry that I upset you; however I am not sorry for my feelings or that I want you." He said in a smooth voice. "You are who I want woman."

Smirking of her 'good luck' Max turned only to see Toh standing right behind her, towering over her. "Too bad, I'll rather walk from a cliff and fall to the deep of the edge before giving in to you, my friend." She looked up into his eyes. "And don't call me woman!"

He purred. "I will call you woman if I want to." He was only inches from her and Max could almost not hold herself up by the suddenly urge to jump on him and take what she wanted. But that would not happen, she was not like that. She turned around to continue her work.

"I can smell you Max." Toh purred letting a hand run through her loose hair, letting her scent flow for him to take in.

"Stop that, I mean it Toh." Max whacked his hand away, turning back to their food without looking at him.

He chuckled. "I will stop… For now." He removed his hand but stayed right behind her, surveying her cooking.

Max found it a little weird with Toh standing that close. Both didn't say anything for a long time as they both had theirs to think about. They even eat in silence.

Toh had never felt so awkward and excided in the same time, he didn't like the silence between them and really wanted to say something but didn't know what to say. Though he found it awkward he was more than excided by her scent and the fact that she ignored her natural needs. He would of course never take her without her wanting him, but he would have her. By that thought he felt much better and with a light heart he started a casual conversation with Max. She still had many thoughts running through her mind but as they talked, she soon forgot the bad memories and enjoyed the evening.

The next couple of days pasted slowly by. Max had been offered a job by a wealthy man who had an interest in ancient history and found her work most pleasing. She was offered to be her own boss and only if she wanted to, she could pick a team of her own choosing to help her. The only thing he demanded was a weekly update on things. Max had been thrilled as she now once more had a job and a job where she still could watch her guest. Toh hadn't been that pleased as she was about to hand over histories and legends of his people and by the laws of the yautja, that was forbidden; therefore as a compromise Max would let out all referents of his race and he would stop brooding.

-

The meeting with her siblings was not that eventful, Max had nothing new to report and the never ending comments from Paul was almost too much for the rest of the group. Ian had heard of the murder of her previous boss and after telling that the police had a couple of suspects; all eyes was turned to Max.

"What?" She asked annoyed, hoping that her hostile act would make them stop pry.

The three men and the woman looked at her perfectly knowing what she was trying to do. "They asked me if I knew where you were. I said I didn't but that doesn't mean you're safe." Ian continued.

She frowned. "You sound like I did it." She knew that they knew. They always knew when she did something; luckily for her they hadn't found out about the 8'7 tall alien she had at home; yet anyway.

Terry smiled a flashing smile that told her that they did. "We know you sis. It was your old boss; the one who you have yelled and cursed about so many times. So what did he do that made you go all the way this time?" He asked still smiling. They all have tried to kill, and they all knew neither would do the act without a good reason to do so.

Max sighed, she didn't like to tell about everything that had happened that night, but a version of the truth was acceptable. "He sent George and my team along with some other guys to kill me. I killed them instead." She explained, keeping the details as limited as possible.

"You tell us to keep a low profile and you do this, what if they find out about us, do you know what then would happen?" Paul asked angry. Max knew he would say something along that line.

"It was when I was in the fat mans office I found out the truth about our headhunt. Don't question my motives or that I won't do everything in my power to protect you." She snapped at the lieutenant.

He sat back down, displeased with the situation once again.

"Is there anything we can do Max?" Tanya asked and for the first time in a long time she didn't sound like a wounded pray.

Max smiled at the girl. "I can handle it sis."

The rest of the meeting was used to see the newest pictures of Josephine, Ian's daughter. They all thought she was the most beautiful girl they have ever seen and she was more than that; she was a small hope of maybe they all would be able to have families and kids of their own one day.

Max saw the chance to get out before the others noticed but before she could close the door a voice called her name. "Max. Wait up Max."

She turned to face her brother. "Sorry Terry, but I have a tight schedule today and..."

"Yes I know, you hate to go, but 'you're have to. I know." He interrupted. "Listen, I just want to say is that if the cops come; don't hesitate calling me. We both know what they can do and no one wants dead cops on our conscience, do we?" He smirked; knowing that Max was perfectly cable of take care of herself, but the cops was not someone to piss off no matter how strong you were.

"I don't know, as you said, I can take care of my self..."

"And you will end up killing them or they you. I don't have to tell you what they did to the last family that was against them, do I?"

"Okay, I surrender, I'll call." She said; putting her hands in the air like she was really surrendering. Thinking back to the family that she knew as the Keen family she almost shuddered. They had been against the police for years making everyone know about their displeasing to everyone that would listen. About a year ago the husband had refused the police to come inside their home for inspection and that had cost he lost an ear that day and the house had been searched rather rudely. The month later the same thing happened and this time the man wasn't that lucky. One of the officers anciently shot him. The man left his wife and their two children behind. The woman was just as rebellion as her husband and without thinking of her family she started to shout about the police killing her husband. That same month the family's house burned down to the ground; the rest of the Keen family still inside.

"In the same minute you see them?" Terry brought her back to reality.

Sighing. "Yes I have you on speed dial." She returned his smile. "Thanks Terry you're the best but don't tell the others that I said that or they would think I favors you." She turned leaving to go back to her biggest secret of her life.

-

That evening the yautja and the human sat in the light of the candles that stood on the table. It was now more than a week since the blackout and Max was starting to get annoyed about it. Toh, who didn't know anything else in this world, didn't see it that big a deal.

They talked once again, most about the worlds that he had visited and about the many trophies he had collected during his lifetime. Max was at first a little disappointed at him when she first heard about his and his people's need for hunting as she knew it was both those who deserved to be hunted and the innocent that fell as a pray but during his telling of the many hunts she found them fascinating and started to think back to her own 'hunts'.

"Have you never thought about how thrilling a hunt can be?" Toh asked still trying to convince her to go on a hunt with him.

Smiling she raised a glass to her lips and he did the same with his own. Before drinking she said. "I think I know how you feel. I don't hunt for the honor but for the justice." He raised an eye brow and she continued. "Do you remember those men who tried to kill me the night we met for the first time? I killed them because they were trying to kill me."

He nodded; preservation of one self was a need buried deep inside of every living thing.

"They were ordered to kill me by my boss. I found him after making sure you were okay and kill him for his doings. I think I know what you mean because when I kill someone I know deserves it, I feel a satisfaction that he won't hurt anyone again." She explained taking a sip of her water.

Toh was almost about to drop his own glass and take her here and now. She was just perfect. He had seen the fire that every hunter was possessing and hers was stronger than most hunters that he knew. She knew about the hunt, even if it was in the eye of justice. But wasn't that the same he was trying to contain by becoming an arbiter?

A playful thought came over him and it was shown through his eyes as he gentle put his glass down and slowly moved up from his seat next to her. "Do you want to know how a real hunter catches his pray?" He asked as he was motion to grab her.

Max let a small giggle as she slipped away from him. He followed her through the living room and kitchen; every time he thought he had her, she avoided him. He let out a chuckle as he now had cornered her in their bedroom. The only way to go was either the bathroom or the bed. Secretly, he hoped for the last.

"You can't catch me!" She giggled, letting her parades down only a second and he took the moment. Catching her in his arms, they both fell to the softness of their bed. Both laughing, they lay on the bed, her in his arms; catching their breaths.

A sound of a car brought them back to real life. Toh knew this sound and wasn't happy about it. There was no other that lived out here except from him and Max and that meant that this car's passengers would come and interrupt them.

Max too felt an unhappy feeling. _It's just tourists who have made a wrong turn. Only tourists, please let it only be tourists._ She thought as she rose and headed for the window beside the front door. It wasn't tourist. It was a police car in all it glory. Turning to Toh she had a grave look upon her face. "You need to hide, NOW." She said looking for somewhere he could hide while the unwelcome guests would be there.

Toh saw the almost panic in her eyes but didn't mention it. He instead found the camouflage device that he just had fixed and showed it to her.

"Perfect, now you must promise me one thing. Do not intertwine, no matter what, do you understand?" She Asked as if he was an unblood.

"…" He opened his mouth to say something but she took a hold on his lower mandibles to gain his full attention.

"Do not interweave, **no matter what**." She emphasis her last words. Toh nodded in a promise, not liking it at all. There was something wrong and it made him very nervous for the woman that he had chosen.

"Good, now cloak and don't uncloak until I say so, understand?" She asked; letting go of him. Again nodding, afraid that if he spoke once again she would take a hold of him once more; for a girl in her size she was stronger than anyone would have guessed.

Max had just dialed Terry's number when she heard the car pull over. "They are here, hurry." She managed to say before a rapid knocking on the door sounded and all she could do was praying that she would keep her temper until help arrived.

-

"Yes cane I help you officer?" She asked in her sweetest voice.

"Can I come in miss?" The officer who looked more like a soldier than a daily officer walked past her, without her saying yes.

Knowing that he would do that, she just closed the door behind him, offering him to sit while she made some coffee.

"I came here to question you Miss Ford, have you heard about the murder committed a week ago?" The officer asked letting him dump down on the couch. Thank god she and Toh had almost all his things back in the shack or she would have a lot of explaining to do as she knew there was a big chance that he would sneak around the house at some point.

"It is miss Trail, thank you." She snapped, hating when someone called her by her foster parents name.

"Very well miss **Trail**, where were you Thursday last week between 8 am and 16 pm? He asked, leaning over toward her.

She hated having strangers this close but needed to hold the act. "I'm not sure about the time, but I was in town to buy some groceries, beside that, I was here; I like the silence and quiet of the nature." She answered.

"What did you buy in town?" He was starting to get closer and her heart was with that also starting to beat faster. A low growl only she would be able to hear reached her ears and with that she jumped from her seat excusing herself to get the coffee. While in the kitchen she felt the brush of a hand on her arm. "I'm okay Toh, remember what you promised. No matter what." She whispered, taking all the comfort that she could from his light touches before she was missed by the intruder.

Enjoying the last few strokes of touches, Max finally turned around and entered the living room. "For your previous question Officer..?"

"Officer Orlaw." He offered.

Officer Orlaw, I bought some food, a bundle of candles and was looking at a puppy. One of my friends had one and I have been thinking of require one." She said, serving the brown liquid into a cup. It was first now she noticed the glasses from earlier still standing on the table. It was obvious that the cop too had noticed them.

"Have you had any guests today miss Trail?" He asked calm.

"Yes my sister was here earlier and I just forgot all about those." Max sighed inward as it seamed like Officer Orlaw bought the explanation and let it be. Instead he rose from his seat and neared the woman dangerously.

"I see, and you live out here all alone?" He asked in a whole different voice, nearing her.

Max was about to rip one or two of his limbs off as he touched her arm. The same place Toh had touched her and that made her angrier than she would admit. He drew her to him. "Yes, that's why I was looking for a dog." She simply answered.

"A beautiful girl like you should not live alone like this, it is dangerous and there are bad people out there." The officer said in a thick voice which made Max wanting to run as far away as she could. He took her hand in his. "You are lucky that I am here to protect you." He said before kissing her hand.

Max found that insulting and wanted to frown by his words. _Yes,_ _he'll protect me as long as I let me woo by him._ She thought.

Not waiting for any answer from her part, the uniform dressed man pulled her toward the soft pillows of the couch. Max was tugging in his hand as hard she dared without raising any suspicions.

"Don't be scared; remember, I am the good guy." He said with a slight aggression in his voice. He threw the woman onto the couch.

"Please I don't want any trouble sir." Max pleaded, not liking the officers approaching.

He leaned forward. "You will not get into trouble if you do what I say." He ran a finger across her chin, letting it trace her jaw line and down to her neck. "Are you a good girl?" He asked in a seductive voice.

Shuttering Max tried to scoot away from his touch hating everything about him. "I… I don't know what you mean sir." She said starting to get real freaked out as she either would be ripping off his arms and legs in anger or freezing up in fright as this reminded her all too much a past that she just wanted to forget.

-

Toh followed his friend closely, not liking the new visitor. The ooman started to question her about the murder. Thinking back he smiled; she had just told him about it and had called it a hunt of her own. During the many conversations they had had, he knew the police was corrupted and nobody wished a visit from them as they made more trouble than good and by the look at the officer Toh agreed; this man was trouble.

The hunter used all his willpower to keep himself from doing anything that he would regret later. He saw the male close in on Max and unknowing about his actions he let out a warning growl. Everything told him that this ooman male was a bad blood and hated that Max had made him promised to keep away from him.

Luckily the male hadn't heard the low growl but Max had and as she jumped from her seat to get away from the ooman, Toh felt a little better. He followed her out to the kitchen and it was first now he noticed her heart beat faster than normal. Closing in on her he stroked a hand up at her arm to calm her down.

"I'm okay Toh, remember what you promised; no matter what." She whispered, leaning slightly into his touch. He growled low in his displease but at the same time agreed. He could feel her relax a bit before was forced to let her go and watch her go in to the other male.

Toh followed the two conversing and slowly he was starting to hope that nothing more would happen when he noticed the way the male changed and once again was forced to control himself as the ooman rose and walked toward Max like a wolf for it's pray.

"I see, and you live out here all alone?" He asked letting the yautja know that something was way wrong. Toh could see Max tense as if she too held herself from explode in one blast of rage; especially when the ooman touched her where Toh had previously. _How dare this ooman touch her like me, like he owns her? She will never allow him to do it would she? No she had honor and soon would break the neck of this maggot._ He thought.

Toh barely noticed her answer as the ooman pulled her to him and with a voice that told Toh everything about the ooman's intensions.

"A beautiful girl like you should not live alone like this, it is dangerous and there are bad people out there." He took her hand in his; Toh stepped closer just in case, but as if Max could see him she sent him a quick glare that told him to step back. "You are lucky that I am here to protect you." He said before kissing her hand. Intervening or not, Toh had no intensions of stepping back.

"Don't be scared; remember, I am the good guy." The ooman said after having pulled in her hand harder than Toh would think about. Why wasn't she doing something? Toh clenched and reopened his hands rapidly, she had now allowed herself being thrown onto the couch and the male leaned over her, stroking her face and down to her neck, clearly enjoying the soft skin, Toh knew all too well.

"Are you a good girl?" He asked in a seductive voice. The hunter's brain was screaming to do something, but he remained passive. It broke his heart seeing her like this, she looked so defenseless and hearing her scared voice answer cut him inside.

"I… I don't know what you mean sir." She wasn't trying to get away and if neither didn't do anything, Toh knew what would happen next. He could smell the aroused male and the smell made him sick.

"Oh I think you do, don't make it harder than it is." The ooman started to rub his groin against her leg and that made Toh's blood boil.

"No don't, get off me." Max pushed at the male but Toh could tell that she held back, that she didn't use all her strength.

Readying himself Toh was about to tackle this bad blood consequences or not he wouldn't stand and look as her allow this raging ooman rape her.

In the same second two things happened; Max had apparently had enough of the ooman and had pushed him hard enough to make him stumble to the floor and an unknown male busted through the door slightly out of breath.

"Max!" He called, seeing the officer who had tried to force himself upon her was now on the floor. Startled, the ooman bad blood got on his feet staring at the new male.

"What is going on? Who are you?" The new male asked, seeing Max giving him an 'I'm okay' look.

"My name is Officer Orlaw; I am here to question Miss Ford. Who are you?" The bad blood asked in defense.

"I am Miss Trail's brother." The new ooman spat back; walking to Max who stood as far from the officer that she could. "New kind of interrogation methods I resume?" He asked, checking her over.

The officer grinned. "I didn't do anything she didn't want herself." The bad blood stated before without one more word turning and left the room; leaving the 3 alone.

"Thank god, are you okay Max?" The male asked, looking at Max once again. Toh noticed her lack of expression as she had disappeared inside of herself.

Snapping back to real life, she just smiled. "I'm okay Terry that was on the last call. One more second and I would have killed him." She said with a false cheeriness in her voice. Frowning; the male just looked at her.

"Really, I'm okay, Thank you for coming but I think I need some time alone." She said almost pushing Terry toward the door.

"Okay, okay I'm going, but promise me that you'll drop by soon. We miss you; you used to be hanging around all the time." He said and after a tight hug he left the house.

"You can show yourself now Toh." The woman said. Toh did so but wasn't that pleased with her exhausted voice. She smiled a forced smile seeing him, but let it fall as soon as it came.

"Are you sure that you are alright Max?" He asked, walking over to her.

She frowned at his question. "I have fought many fights including hard meat, yautja and who knows how many humans and have come out of it alright, don't you think I can handle one little ooman?" She snapped, feeling much better being angry at someone instead of being sorry for herself.

Then she noticed the soft chuckle from the male in front of her. "What?" She asked annoyed; not liking being laughed at.

"You said ooman." Toh chuckled, looking proud at her.

"I did not." She frowned once again.

The male stepped a little closer till smiling proud. "You did; it won't do you any good denying it woman."

"Why would I say something that stupid?" She glared at him. "And don't call me woman!" She barked walking passed him.

"I don't know maybe you could tell me." He was starting to feel slight annoyed by the yelling, when all he wanted was to make sure she was unharmed."

She turned to him, giving him the glare. "I wouldn't course I don't betray my people." She snapped.

"Like they don't betray you?" He asked with the thoughts on the nights visitors actions.

Max opened her mouth like she was going to say something back but she didn't. She instead just turned around and ran straight to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Tears threatened to fall but never did as she fell to her knees on the floor. She felt so useless like the little girl she once was. The words that Toh had said cut her real deep, she knew he didn't know and therefore didn't mean it like that, but she knew and that was enough. She knew the terrible secret that she bore throughout her last 20 years. The memories of how Frank had come in at night and woken her and how he left her sometime later, telling her it all just had been a dream. The memories of how she had cried every time he had left her from not only the pain but the humiliation she felt; it tore her up. She hadn't told anyone about it until much later when she had been strong enough to know that what he did was not normal. She had hated him for doing those unspeakable things to her but hated herself even more for letting him do it. She had been stronger than him physical even at the age of 9, she had been stronger and could have fought him easily, but she hadn't as she had believed that she then would have done something wrong and would be punished for it by her commanders.

A soft knock on the door brought Max somewhat back to the present. "Go away!" She said, trying to hide her sadness in her voice. She failed miserably; she sounded in fact just like how she felt.

Toh opened the door gentle. He had been worried for the female and hearing her voice through the door he had known that something was way off. He saw Max sitting on the floor looking at a fixed point on the wall right in front of her.

Without speaking he sat down beside her, waiting to see if she wanted to talk on her own. It was not like he knew what to do in a situation like thins. He was a male yautja; if you couldn't fix it with your fists you left it alone for a medic or a female to fix it. He had never been in front of an upset female before. They said it could be quiet scary and honestly he didn't wanted to know if that was true or not.

"Max?" He said silent.

She didn't even let him know that she had heard him. He touched her hand, hoping that it would calm her somewhat down. It felt so cold; like if her blood had started to freeze on its own. The woman looked at him, not meeting his eyes.

"I'm okay Toh; I just need some time alone that's all." She tried to fake a smile for him but though others may have been fooled he could see the pain rack through her. Without any words he pulled her to him, her whole body was trembling under his touch, but he didn't care. He held her and she didn't resist as she let her head rest on his shoulder peacefully, soon falling asleep. The big man rose, carrying her to their bed and tugged her in.

The house was silent; the human girl was sleeping safe in the arms of her friend and secretly protector as he watched her all night.

-

Toh rubbed his eyes; the sun was not even fully shown yet and he felt slightly annoyed that he had awoken already. It was now 3 weeks since he first time met Max; the time was starting out slow but now looking back it all felt like a heartbeat. Even the weather seemed to have changed drastic during the last couple of weeks. It was becoming cold and if it hadn't been because he had his body mesh he would have been very cold right now. Instead he could feel the warmth from the female's body beside him. He envied her; she slept so peacefully and without thinking about being awake way too early. They had been watching TV the previously night and it had been late before any of them had fallen asleep. It had been a whole new experience for him to see the small oomans inside the little box talking and acting on their own. Max had called them actors and what they were watching was a movie. Lying in the bed for 10 minutes he just watched Max sleep, there was something calming and resurrection by her sleeping form. Knowing that she was there, only few inches from him, sleeping, gave him a feeling he hadn't a name for yet.

Toh decide to take a nice warm shower; then seeing to his repairs of the long range communication device. If he could repair it he would send a message out to his clan, making them know where he was.

-

**There you have it. Now please, please review, it'll make my day a whole lot better when I know that you like it and if you don't, tell me (nicely of course) how I can make it better… **


	5. First hunt

**So here'****s the next chapter and I apologize if the next couple of chapters will be a little longer in the progress; my computer decided to go haywire on me and is out of commission. I'm therefore forced to use the computers on my school (which my teachers really dislike) or at the library (which is over an hours drive from anywhere).**

**Sorry for my rant here you have the next chapter. **

**Disclaimers: I do not own Aliens or predator or any other that already has an owner; however, Toh and Max and the rest of the gang are mine.**

**Chapter 5 – First hunt**

Max stirred, opening her eyes slowly, letting the dreamy fog slowly leave her mind. Looking toward the space her alien friend should be she became a little confused. She was always awake before him and still he was gone.

"Good morning sleepyhead." Toh chuckled, sitting in her chair facing her. He had a small funny looking device in his hands.

Returning his all too cheerful smile she sat up. "Good … Good… Morniing." She said in a loud yawn. "Why so fresh, I thought a yautja needed at least 9 hours of sleep before being fully rested?" She said finally rising from the bed.

"**Good morning!**" A third voice sounded from the front door cutting Toh off from answering.

_Shit!_ Max thought, looking at Toh. "It's Ian, quick hide." She whispered and as Toh disappeared into the thin air, the intruder stepped through the door also way too happy for Max's taste.

"So, you are up." He brother teased her, giving her a bunch of flowers. "Happy birthday, sunshine." He said allowing her to take the rainbow of flowers out to the kitchen and put it in water.

Max hadn't even thought about which day it had been and was now mentally cursing herself for her carelessness. "Ian? What are you doing here?" She asked, acting like nothing was wrong but like all other siblings, he detected the small hint in her voice and seeing her house he frowned.

"So… Did I interrupt something?" He smirked, looking at his sister who currently still was in her night attire.

"No, why do you…?" But didn't finish as she noticed her home; her bedroom was scattered with both hers and Toh's clothing and in the living room there was evidence of that had been two people the previous evening.

Err, it's not what you think, I…" She started to explain, not knowing what to say as she didn't like lying to her family.

"Where's the birthday child?" Another voice interrupted her and once more Max was about to crawl into herself; wishing she could transform into a turtle or had Toh's cloaking device.

"Terry, you're here too?" She questioned; feeling more uncomfortable than she had done in a long time.

"While yes sis, it sounds like you're not happy to see us." The man smirked, then he's eyes too fell on the table with the screaming evidence that she hadn't been alone. "Should we have called first?" He asked; flashing a big mischievous smile toward her giving her a paper wrapped gift.

Sighing Max let the two sit and made themselves comfortable; telling that she wouldn't answer one question without having changed.

The woman could feel the present of her friend as she stepped into the bedroom. "Toh?" She whispered, hoping that her brothers wouldn't hear her; like her, they were blessed with a hearing that was better than a normal human.

Toh let a hand trail down her arm; if it was to let her know that he was listening or just one of his games of getting her, she didn't know but swatted it away either way.

"You must leave right now, it's my brothers and they're just as blessed with abilities as I am, do you understand?" She asked, feeling him step up behind her in a way she knew all too well. "Stop acting like a teenager on hormones and get your ass out of here." She scolded and received a small growl in return.

"Why won't you tell your family about me?" He asked in her ear. They have had that conversation before.

"Because we don't want the news of you slip out; I have told you about Paul right. Yes he's my brother but I have had this feeling that there's something wrong. He hadn't been acting like himself and that is why I won't tell the others, if they know he will learn it sooner or later." She said, trying to hold her own as she could feel his breath upon her sensitive skin of her neck.

Toh let a hand encircle around her waist to hold her near him; he had sensed her so sweet smell once again and wanted to smell more. "I won't mind woman." He said still moving closer for every breath they took.

Feeling him close in on her without actual seeing him gave Max a mix of contentment and doubts. If she wouldn't be able to see him she wouldn't be able to stop him and that gave her the flow of adrenaline that made her feel both.

"Don't call me…"

"Max, are you all right in there?" Terry's voice cut her off.

This snapped them both out of their own little world and not sooner Max felt Toh let go off her and she started to fumble with random cloth and threw it on. "Yes I'm okay, I'll be right out." She called, almost banging into her table twice while putting on her pants.

"You sure, we thought we heard voices." Max could just hear the large smile he had on his face right now. She of all people had a guy in her house, living with her and in their mind, doing so much more.

Trying to make a straight face she opened the door, but that was harder than she thought as the first thing she saw was a pair of boxes. "So are you ready to spill?" Ian asked smiling from ear to ear.

Sighing again Max snapped the boxes from Terry's hands. _Why was they even in the living room, Toh wouldn't even wear them, telling me that they made him feel all too covered; not that I want to know what he have under that loincloth of his._ She thought.

"Well?" Terry asked, giving her his famous look. "Okay, okay, I'll tell; come sit" She said motioned for the couch. The sat on either side of her letting her explain.

"His name is Toh and yes he is living here; on a temporary base." She added as both sent her some very big eyes in disbelieve.

"So you're dating again?" Terry asked not wanting to dig too deep in the case that his bigger sister found it time to shut up.

"No! He's just a friend okay. End of discussion." She snapped; not knowing why she was so defensive. Both gave her a 'yah right' looks but didn't say anything further: not until later that is. The two thought it would be nice to eat some birthday breakfast, though Max tried to tell them anything that would make them leave. She didn't like the way she had been forced to drive Toh out of her house. It was now his home too and he had no where else to go than this place.

She opened her present after the meal; inside the little box she found a couple o keys. Looking rather bewildered, Ian motioned for her to come with him outside and there in her drive way stood an older but still nice looking car. Wide eyed Max looked from the navy blue SUV to her brothers; not believing her eyes.

"So what do you think?" Ian asked almost laughing at the look Max gave them.

"It's winter soon and after the last years experience we thought this would be handy instead of the bike." Terry said before she could answer.

"I love it! How did you get it?" Max exclaimed as she walked to the car looking at all its beauty.

The two brothers shared a glance before joining the excided girl. "With joined forces and a good price is how we got it sis." Ian said.

"Almost joined forces." Terry mumbled for himself but both had heard his words of displeasing.

"What do you mean?" Max asked, stepping out from the car.

Ian looked at his brother. "We decided not to talk about it any further." He almost hissed.

"What?" Max asked again.

Terry looked at his brother and gave him a look that told him that she needed to know and Ian just threw his arms up in defeat before letting Terry answer. "Paul has not been that supporting lately. He refused to join in on our present; told us that you didn't deserve something like this."

"Don't worry about it sis, he's just being his old grumpy self." Ian stated hoping that it wouldn't start a fight between the two.

"It's okay and I won't say anything to him." She said, letting the two come back inside as the wind was starting to bring more cold air with it.

-

"Sis, what did you say you did again?" Terry's voice came from her bedroom. Cursing at his oversized curiosity Max stepped away from the dishes and saw why he was asking.

"I'm an archaeologist, why?" She called back but saw why as she entered the room along with Ian on her tail.

"Wow, where did you find that sis?" Ian asked, stealing the oval object out of his older brother's hands that after a 'hey' was now looking at his sister ready for some answers. "It's a communicator of some kind. I have never seen this technology before." Ian continued as he inspected it.

"I know you haven't." Max snapped as she took the strange looking device Toh had worked on that morning from the man's hands. If there was someone who knew about technology, it was him.

"Where did you get it?" Terry asked looking at her like he already knew she had done something wrong.

"Well I…" She trailed not wanting to tell them that it was Toh's and it in fact was alien.

"You didn't steal it, did you?" He asked with a hint of 'not again' in his voice.

"No! No I didn't steal it." She defended herself. Sighing once again she decided it was time for her to come clean. "It's Toh's and I appreciate if you won't touch it." She said as she saw Ian looking almost dreaming at the device.

"What have you done Max? He's not…"

Frowning Max cut him off. "No he's not anything that you would think him to be. He's an alien and that's his long range communicator." She said waiting for the laughter to come.

Silence.

"He's a what?" Terry asked looking at her like he was checking her over; maybe she had been out here for too long.

"He's an alien, he call himself a Yautja and have been living here for the past three weeks."

"So what you're saying is that there is an alien in here?" Terry asked; his eyes started to double check the room for any sign of another being.

"No, he's not in here; I don't know where he is. He crawled out of the window when you two came this morning."

"Well, that's not something you hear every day." Ian said, still having his eyes on the device.

"Don't tell anyone, not even Tanya or Paul, do you hear me?" Max said in a serious voice; looking at the both. After they swore that they wouldn't Max started to tell them about Toh and how they met. She left out all the details like that he at first tried to kill her and that his favorite sport was hunting people and then kill them or that they every night was sleeping in her bed.

"Okay, so he's an alien and how did that happen; don't tell me that he just fell from the sky."

Max looked at Terry a little annoyed at his comment.

"He came from space, if he flew or fell I can't say but I met him that night when I had my clash with George and his men."

They talked a little before Max practically threw them out, telling them that she was really happy with her present but needed peace and quiet to get some work done. They just gave her a 'yeah right look' before waving good bye.

-

"What is a birthday?" Toh's familiar voice asked from behind as Max had said good bye to her brothers and saw them drive away.

She smiled at his question; who didn't know what a birthday was. "It's that day at the year you were born. It's a celebration you have every year; those around you celebrate that you was born." She explained, leading him into the house after closing the door.

He looked at the car through the window. "And that is why they gave you a present; because you were born so many years ago?" He asked more puzzled than before.

"Yes." She replied.

Seeing his expression she couldn't stop a smile appear.

"What?" He asked a little defensive.

"Nothing." Max walked back toward their bedroom in a desperate attempt to hide her smile.

Toh stopped his chase for a moment thinking this whole thing through. "Max stop!" He called and she did; giving him a questionable look.

"I have something for you; stay here." He said letting her stand alone before he ran outside.

Max looked at the disappearing form wondering what he would see fit for a present if that even was what he had in mind. The minutes went by and still no sign of her friend. Max was starting to doubt if he meant stay where she stood or just inside the house. After 10 minutes she started to get restless and decided to spend her waiting in front of the TV.

15 minutes later the yautja came inside; cloaked.

"Toh, what are you during?" Max asked still puzzled by his actions.

"Close your eyes Max." Was his only respond.

Frowning she crossed her arms. "Not until you tell me what is going on." She stated; following the blurring form inside the room.

In one swift move she felt a strong arm around her waist. "Close your eyes woman." He whispered into her ear. His voice soft but held all the strength in the world and made her obey him smiling in expectations.

Smiling when he saw her comply, he led her inside their bedroom; letting her get used to being forced to follow he lead when she couldn't maneuver herself.

"What are you doing?" Max was starting to have second thoughts as she felt Toh trace her arm down. The only response was a purring that she had heard so many times before, mostly followed by the unmistakably scent. But let it be as the scent never came.

She felt a cloth cover her eyes; likely to ensure her not to look. She felt something hard but not too heavy was placed on her left shoulder; the material was tightened to her torso to be kept in place. Something was strapped onto her right wrist; it felt like a fingerless glove or something like that. She was about to reach over to touch it when Toh swat her hand away with a grunt.

She was about to say something but didn't; deciding that she would let him finish what he had started so she could see what he have done to her. The image of herself in a silly costume came to her mind and that made her smile a little; thinking that it would only be fun if he did, it would be fun, course she would kick his ass afterwards if he did.

Something was strapped onto her thigh and with that the woman forced away a blush as he brushed a hand up against her inner thigh to secure it. Finally he strapped something similar to her shin.

Max felt him lead her into another room; her bathroom. Then they stopped and she felt the man step up behind her. "Are you ready?" He asked and with a nodded from the woman he removed the blinding.

Max let out a gasp. There in front of her could she see her own reflection in the full size mirror; she had an armored plate on her chest to cover her heart. What she had thought was a glove was indeed a wrist blade. On her thigh and shin she saw two knife strapped to her. Looking at Toh through the mirror she could see the pride in his eyes as they looked at each other. He too was dressed in his light armor and with that she understood; _we are going on a hunt_.

"Are you ready?" He asked again, locking her eyes with his.

"Yes." The word came almost without she knew it came. Was she really ready for a hunt; would she really be ready to hunt and kill people she didn't knew. She had done it before but that was a lifetime ago and back then she didn't have a choice; she did now and still she agreed. She didn't take her eyes of Toh as he secured his mask to his face and together they walked outside.

He lead her into the woods and for a long time Max just followed not wanting to disturb him as he trailed something she couldn't make out.

Raising a hand he signaled her to stop and she did; tracing his stare. There, not more than 50 yards in front of them stood three men. They all were in their late 40's and didn't look all that friendly. She knew them; they were wanted for murder and rape on at least 5 young women all over the country.

Toh turned to look at me. "I have traced these oomans for some time now and they are definitely bad bloods. I have seen them stalk young women, steal from the locals and attack people without reason. I want you to do the honor and take these as your trophies." He whispered only loud enough for her to hear.

Looking at him and then at the three males she nodded. Toh would never lie and if these men had followed women from the local town there would soon be rape, murder or both in the news and that was not something the woman would just stand let happen. Showing how to extend her wrist blade Toh let the woman walk up to the oomans.

She was fast and soundless as she neared in on them. They looked like they hadn't seen soap for several months and their stench almost hurt her sensitive nose. She walked up to one of them and as the man turned around she gave him a good and hard punch to his face; it was more to let it be a little more interesting as it would alert the others of her present and maybe give her a little fight before she would end their lives.

It worked. The two men at first looked startled at their fallen comrade, who now was struggling to keep awake, before they saw her. She smirked at one of them took out knife and the other a gun. The gun fired a couple of rounds and with that she flip-flopped away from the bullets like they were nothing to worry about. Nearing them she cut the gun in two with her wrist blade. She love the weapon so much already as it felt so familiar to fight with it and the clean cut surprised her as the gun fell to the ground in pieces.

She stepped back for a second giving the men enough time to see her before she would attack and make this their last doing before meeting the eternal sleep.

"What? It's just a girl!" One of the men yelled to his comrades in a mock; confident that they would have a good time with this one. The first man she attacked decided that he wanted to stay awake a little longer and stood now beside his fellow bad bloods.

The only response they received was a smirk as Max ran faster than they ever had seen a human run right toward the one who had spoken. The female felt the familiar feeling as she heard bone braking underneath her crushing grip. The sound of the man's screaming only gave her a resurrection that what she succeeded. She let go of the crushed hand and with a hard tug she broke his fragile neck. The others just stood starring as the bad blood fell to the ground lifeless. They stood as if they should go for a run or go for her. She hoped for the last and she was pleased when they did. Both holding a knife each, they attacked. She blocked their attempts to hurt her and not long after the last of the men fell limp. Contacting the bloody weapon she turned to see Toh stand not far from her looking proud at her.

"Take your knife woman." Toh said as he walked up to her. She did; knowing that this was not the time to complain about given nicknames.

The yautja instructed her in how to separate the bad blood's heads from their bodies; making a clean cut. After during so and three new trinkets hanging at her waist they headed home. This was a birthday she never would forget.

-

**So there you have it now review people… **


	6. Scars

**Fi****nally, another chapter is up and rolling. I'm very sorry for the delay but as I told you the last chapter; my computer is in the land of scrap metal and don't know when I can get another one. Right now am I borrowing the computers on my school but in the confined time to be able to read all of your stories, homework and writing this one has not been that easy.**

**Disclaimers: Once again; I don not own AVP, Predator or anything in that direction. I'm only borrowing the universe and mold it to fit my own little fantasy…**

**Chapter 6 ****– Scars**

The weather started to get even worse as time went by. Max looked out of the window; it would be dark soon and she was starting to miss the big guy. Toh had left just before the sunrise to hunt a couple of rapists. Max felt proud; she had convinced him to only hunt criminals like they had done on her first real hunt. They still hunted together but during all the work she had on her hands, she was forced to let him go by himself.

-

"Toh?" Max called outside the house. The sun was about to set and Max was starting to get a little worried about her friend. It was cold and snow was on its way. A soft growl told her that her calls had been heard and in front of her stood her favorite alien. He de-cloaked and in front of her stood her friend with two decapitated heads in his hand; looking like he was very cold.

"God, you look like you're freezing, come let us get inside and get some warmth." Max said while she dragged the yautja with her inside. She took off his armor that he had around his torso in the same time disposing him of the single decapitated head that he had chosen for trophy; guided him further inside the living room. Letting him down on the couch she found their covers and a couple of blankets to warm Toh. He just let the female drop another blanket over him as he was frozen and could barely feel anything. He cursed his mesh, it had just stopped working and within no time he had been frozen into his bones. Max stood for a second; sizing if he needed one more blanket beside the three he already had around him. Then did something very surprising; she dropped her jacket including her jersey and now stood in front of him only in her pants and a tight dark green top. She placed herself upon his lap, crawled under the covers with him and started to rub his arms and chest.

"Just what I needed." He purred enjoying the feeling of the female as she embraced him with her body.

"Shut up, I'm using my own body heat to warm you up." Max frowned but it was soon replaced with a smile, thinking that he had purred a great deal lately and if he even had noticed it himself.

"What ever you are doing, just keep on doing it." Toh held her closer to him using her own explanation as an excuse for having her near.

Sensing the yautjas intension Max decided to play his game for now. They had been talking, discussing and fighting (literally) over his prefer of calling her 'woman' and that he didn't hide his attentions or affections for her. Therefore, now it was her time to have a say. Letting him support her bottom she leaned even further onto his torso, feeling his breath quicken as she ran a hand down his arm, playing with his bulging muscles along the way.

Toh could smell Max heating up and when she allowed him to touch her like he did, he became more aroused than he admitted as a small piece of him told him that she was an ooman and the only reason he wanted her was because he had been without a female for a long time by his standards, but that soon was discarded as he felt her rub her body up against his own.. He roamed her bottom, letting a hand travel down her thigh and leg, feeling her snap as he let a claw gently trace her body.

She let out a soft moan. "I knew you wanted me woman." Toh said pleased with the reaction the female had given him.

She hadn't thought that he could have aroused her like he did and she was using all her will power to control herself. Never had a man made her feel like this male did and it made her uneasy with herself and doubted her own self-control once again but when the feeling of a hand starting to tug in her top and trying to crawl inside the soft material to roam her back, she knew it was time to stop.

Never had she let a man touch her back ever since her childhood. "Toh stop!" She said loud enough for him to hear she meant it.

Taken aback the yautja looked at her still with a dreamy look on his face. "What?" He asked, still letting his hands stroke her thigh and bottom.

"We need to stop." Max said, suddenly feeling very hot various places she didn't wanted to feel hot right now. Pushing at his chest she stood from his embrace, the blankets had been lost at some point; she couldn't remember when. Max couldn't look into the male's eyes; afraid that he would be able to read her mind if she did, afraid that if she did she would disappear into them and they would drag her back into his strong arms. All she could do was leaving him, acting as if nothing had happened.

Steadying her heart beat, Max let out a sigh the same moment she came out of sight. _Well that was not was I had expected._ She thought; not able to stop a smile from appear. _Why am I acting like this I shouldn't be happy but terrified. But god it felt good and feeling his touch, when had anyone touched me like that?_ Max felt the blush, which she had tried to contain in front of the man, come upon her cheeks all warm and making her feel like she was on fire. _Shit_! _No please tell me this is not true, I'm not falling for him. I refuse to fall for anyone; get in, get out. Get in get out. _She repeated inside her mind. Never did the thought of him being an alien cross her mind. She didn't see him like that. He was male and she female and that was bad; real bad.

-

In the mean time, Toh sat on the couch with his hands behind his head; pretty pleased with himself. He had enjoyed the feeling of Max upon him and his fingers still tickling by the touch he had had on her almost perfect body. He played the scene over and over again in his mind; he knew that she had enjoyed it as well but something held her back and he knew when not to push her. He could still smell her scent in the air mixed with his own musk and that made him aware of his hardened member.

In that moment the woman stepped inside the room with more color on her cheeks than she had before they had started. She looked at him; opened her mouth to say something when her eyes traveled down his body and rested just south of his waistline and the color spread to the rest of her face.

"Uhmm… I'm going to do some work, there're some leftovers in the kitchen if you're hungry." She said still staring at his bulge between his legs.

Toh tried not to laugh as he relaxed even further into the couch and a funny noise that could interpret as a sort of groan came from her when she turned leaving him with his growing ego. He chuckled she was a really funny woman. Either was she over confident and everything seamed easy for her or she acted like a shy little girl. The later was mostly when he showed her his want for her; normally she just laughed at him or scolded him for his lack of modesty but sometimes she was like this. Shy and acted like a little girl that was afraid of her first mating.

Listening to the sweet sounds of a song playing from the bedroom he relaxed, knowing that Max would be working the half a night. Toh turned on the TV, but let the sound off as he liked the music that streamed from the other room. The earthen music was so different from the yautjan's. The oomans was more singing and a different flow that made it sound so alien from what he was used to.

-

The time went by and Toh had not wanting to disturb the woman in her work so he had forced himself awake while watching one bad movie after another. Why did they make aliens so ugly and not realistic? He saw another so called sci fi movie where the actors was acting all out of key; you didn't leave a battlefield without either annihilate the enemy's fleet or making them pay for their doings. And the plots were just too much; hyper-drive didn't give off a broad spectrum of colors when activated like a rainbow. It was only white and a couple of blue, red and yellow occasionally.

The soft music had stopped a while ago and after the third poor movie in row Toh thought she would have had enough time to be herself again. He turned off the screen and walked into the dark room. Their, in her favorite chair sat his sleeping woman with her laptop on her lap; lighting up her face in a soft white-blue light.

Turning off all other light, Toh clicked gently to see if he could get her to walk over to their bed by herself. The only reply was a soft whimper in protest. How lovely she looked still only in her green top, with her hair down that spread out around her like a wail. With gentle hands, he pried the computer away from her and scooped her up in his arms. She was not sleeping in the chair, not if he could help it.

-

The sunlight faintly reached inside the room as Max and Toh slept. Toh had made sure that Max not would freeze during the night as she had their cover over her and he had placed himself as close as he dared to give her all the warmth that he could.

"Toh…" The female mumbled as she cuddled further up against the warmth beside her. A low purr was her reply which gained a smile.

"Are you sleeping?" She asked still half asleep herself.

"I was." He whispered, flaring his mandibles in an inaudible yawn. He had had the most beautiful dream about Max and being waking from it was not something he had liked, but feeling the light touch of her hands up against his right arm and side, he decided that real life was with no doubt better than dreams. He suppressed to purr, as she rose on one arm hovering over him. He could feel her hair play over his shoulder and the as she drew closer he had the wonderful view of the top of her breast that was trapped by the tight fabric that she wore. Her smile was something he always had loved and was please as she did just that; smile.

"Good morning." She whispered.

He was lost from words; trying to hold his musk from emerge as he knew it would only drive her away and though he knew he couldn't have her like he really wanted to, he could save this moment.

-

Max had forgotten the previous tiredness and of some kind of reason she felt more alive than she had been for a long time. She had this kind of happiness that flowed all through her body.

"I've been checking the towns wanting list and according to them theirs a band of criminals in the area if you could be up for another hunt?" She said with a glint in her eyes.

Toh like the way this female thought. "And is this hunt just for me or would you honor me by joining me?" He asked.

The smile almost doubled. "I would love to. I think I have been working way too much these last days and a good hunt would defiantly make up for it."

"Then by nightfall we'll go." He couldn't stop himself as he let a gentle clawed hand trace the outline of her face; from her brow to her jaw. Before Max could let out any protests he was up and disappeared behind the bathroom door.

-

That day was spent in the anticipation of the upcoming hunt. And that evening they both were ready in their armor. Max's armor had been changed to fit her even better that it had done the first time they had been out on her birthday. She had a tight but warm blouse on under her chest plate and instead of a loincloth that Toh always wore she had a couple of jeans which fitted the rest of the outfit. Her hair was up in a ponytail with a few stay locks that didn't fit wouldn't fit into the rest of the bunch.

The night was very cold and Toh had only made his mesh working on half power. He had cursed over it the most of the day and finally taken Max's offer on having cloths on. He felt uncomfortable as the jeans were too tight some places and the hooded sweatshirt was too loose as the fabric fell slightly over his hands. How Max had found cloths in his size was in a wonder but he didn't ask. He had his armor over the whole thing though Max had made him loose the loincloth as she told him that it looked too weird with both that and the jeans on.

"Ready?" She asked, looking at her friend. If someone had told her about her current life 3 months ago she would have laughed at them in their face before telling them to seek professional help. But look at her. She was getting ready to go on a hunt with her best friend that also was an alien. This was almost too unbelievable even for her, but she loved it. She liked the life she had with Toh, she liked having him around and liked that he didn't mind of all her not so normal traits.

-

The hunt had been successful and the two was had two trophies each to show off. Toh had showed her how to clean the skulls and in the little shack they had assigned two walls for trophy-walls. Toh smiled by the memory of how well the woman had fought that evening, he had almost ripped the ooman he had in his own hands in two by the look of her handling her combo spear as she did. The graze that she had possessed when she drove the pointed end inside her prey and he was grateful for strong smell of blood and musk of aggression. It had been hard to keep his thoughts clear from images containing his little huntress and woman and that had made it impossible for him to hold his musk of want in bay.

"What are you thinking of?" Her small voice cut into the hunters thoughts. Toh looked at her unable to hold his smile from appear.

"Nothing." He didn't wish for a discussion at that time. They had been so good together, why ruined it with making her mad?

"It didn't look like nothing." She said a little quieter than before.

They walked a little longer in silent. The playful whistles and thrilling songs from the small birds grew louder as the sun started to show its first light. They had followed a steam that soon would turn into a small river "We must watch out from now on Toh; there's quicksand like mud puddles around this river." She stated.

Toh looked at the river and the surroundings. Nothing looked dangerous or out of the usually. "Are you sure? It all looks like the same to me." He asked; scanning the area once more just to be sure he hadn't missed anything.

Max stopped, crossing her arms across her chest; only looking at Toh.

First a couple of steps ahead Toh noticed that Max wasn't walking beside him but standing behind him with a not that pleasant look painted on her face. "What?" He was lost, what did he said to offend her this time. Sometimes she was just like this. He had just pointed out the obvious. There were no visual puddles as far he could see.

"Are you telling me that you know this area better than I. I have been living here for the past 5 years and have been one several rescue missions to this place just to find already dead bodies almost buried in these puddles." Max stated.

The yautja stared at the woman for a second before the words hit him and he realized his mistake. How could he be that stupid? Walking back to her, he started to apologize. Who was he to question her on her knowledge of an area that she had known for a lot longer that he had?

Max saw the sincerity in the male's eyes and by that softened. His apologies were unnecessary but it was nice for a change to hear him admit his mistake. Placing a hand on his shoulder she stopped him from saying 'I'm sorry' for the 10.'th time in less than two minuets. "Com lets go home, it's pretty cold and I can't wait to get a nice hot shower." She smiled, letting her hand linger a few nanoseconds longer that she had intended. But feeling the male close to her ruffled a feeling that she had missed for a long time. Safety.

Max walked off and Toh followed; or at least tried to. He moved his legs but couldn't get anywhere. Looking down he saw his feet coved with a thick layer of mud. And as he struggled to get one foot free the other dug even further down in the brown semi pasted liquid.

"Max!"

The female turned her head to Toh's voice to see what was wrong. The sight of her friend trapped now to the knees in on of the deathtraps that she had warned the male about just moments about, a gasp escaped her

"Toh don't move!" She called, hoping that he wasn't too far down for her to get him up alone. The yautja obeyed instantly however Max could see the nervous in his eyes and didn't blame him. It was almost impossible to get another person out of these traps. Once they had you, they didn't let go that easy.

The feeling of something pulling you down would get to the best of anybody and Toh was on the rim of trying anything just to get out of this hole from hell. He looked at Max with pleading eyes, she was desperately trying to find a way to get him out of there but it was risky as she jeopardizes to be trapped along with him too.

"Lend me your hand, maybe together we can get you out of there." She said, reaching out to grab his bigger hand in hers.

It seemed to have been working as Toh got one foot free but the other was stuck and eventually he was forced to step the once freed foot down in the mud once again not to fall over. Max let go of his hand remembering something she once learned one a long time ago.

"Toh I know it sounds crazy but I need you to lay down." Max said all serious.

"You're right that sounds crazy." He replied not liking the thought of getting down in the strangling mud willingly.

"Please Toh. If you even your body weight out on a bigger area we will be able to pull you out, I'm confident that it will work." She pleaded; seeing that the brown mass was pulling him even further down into its depth.

Unwillingly Toh lay down, feeling the mud sink into his armor and soak his clothes.

"Now give me your hand." Max called, herself kneeling on the dirty ground.

He did and as Max pulled he helped as much he could. Toh could feel his body move slowly but looking up at Max he saw his woman slip just as slowly closer to the puddle herself.

"Max stop, let go. You're going to get yourself caught." Toh said, letting go of her wrists at the same time.

The woman looked at him with the same fire. Same determination she had when she was on a hunt or when she was working with something she just knew she could solve but hadn't found out how yet.

"Shot up and help me Toh!" Max clenched her teeth trying to use the rest of her strength to get him out.

"But…"

"Get your ass out of there Toh'el'ach or you'll be sorry, do you understand? I don't want to loose you." Max yelled, feeling her grip slipping and the growing panic rise inside of her.

Just the tone of her voice made the male take a hold on her wrists once more. Thoughts invaded his mind as he struggled to get out. She had denied to give up, to let go. With joined force the mud lost its grip and Toh stumbled onto Max, both covered with sweat, leaved and mud.

Toh looked down at Max; she kept on surprising him, where did this strength come from? Her hair was plastered to her face, small leaves and branches clung to her dark blond locks.

As they walked home Max was just as surprised as Toh had been, seeing the male trapped and the feeling of loosing him gave her so much strength and willpower that she had lost all reason afterwards. The panic she had felt when Toh had let go of her had been unbearable and the power that forced her to get the male not to give up had almost overwhelmed her in the same time. She realized that moment; she would be lost without him. Without the friend that she always had wanted.

"God I have mud places I didn't even know existed." She burst as they saw the house. A nice hot shower would do miracles. Before entering she stopped her friend from entering.

"Take off your armor and all other clothes you can spare; I'm not having mud all over the house." She ordered; taking off her own clothes. Max stripped down to only wearing her black panties and red tee before entering her home. Second later the male followed.

"Who get the shower first?" He asked walking past the female. Max stopped mid track, mouth hanging open, not sure how to comprehend what se was looking at. "I… Ah… Toh?" Max's eyes were glued on the yautja. His dreadlocks swaying heavily behind him. His molted skin in perfect harmony with the black patterns that followed all the way down his back. Every muscle worked beneath the skin as he walked and how his perfect body also had been blessed with a perfect butt. Max tried to clear her thoughts as the square naked yautja disappeared into the bathroom.

"Max?" He asked, not quiet catching what she had said the first time. She blinked a couple of times before feeling the familiar feel of overheating on her cheeks.

"Um…" She didn't want to point out the obvious as he clearly didn't mind showing off like that. "You just go ahead, I can wait." She called not sure what to do in situations like this one.

Moments later she heard water hitting the stone floor and in her imagination, her naked friend as well.

It didn't take many minutes before she got her turn and how wonderful it was to get rid of all the now dried mud and who knows what else she had on her. Her hair soaked in the nice hot water and feeling all her muscles relax she felt so good. The image of Toh traveled to her mind, but didn't pry them away. It was nice in a way, although he could be a little of a pain in the ass he had always been there for her and she had a liking to the big guy. The image of the naked form crept up in front of all other memories; frowning she turned off of the water and started to dry herself off.

Walking out and into the bedroom she had thrown the towel lightly around her body. Normally she had the towel all around her shoulders to hide her whole body from the male's eyes but this time she had tied it around her torso, sure that it didn't revealed any of her secret. Toh sat on the bed clad in his loincloth watching.

The woman walked to the table to find her brush, turning her back to the prying eyes. Just in that moment she felt a tug in the towel on her back. Turning around to snap at the male she felt his strong hands guide her to sit.

"Toh what are you doing?" He voice trailing as she felt the ends of the tied fabric loosen, Toh kept forcing the towel away from her back.

In all the time he had been with the woman he had never seen one scar on her like these. Yes she had small scars showing her previous battles but these were much more. These were beautiful.

"Stop looking at my back." Max said not as strong she had been before.

"If you tell me about yours I tell you about mine." Toh grinned as he trailed one of Max's scars, all the way from her right shoulder to the small of her back.

With a small shudder Max tried to cover her exposed back with her towel, but just as quickly was it removed by the hunter's strong hands.

"Why do you hide them? Scars are to be carried with pride and shown for all to see." He said roaming two more with his fingers.

"Not these. These are only reminders of a past that always will come back no matter what I do." Max answered in a whisper, looking down, making sure the rest of the cloth covered her front.

"What do you mean? What happened?"

She smiled a pained smile by the thought of how her memories hunted her mind. "I guess it is time to tell you everything." She turned that she now was sitting in front of him, face to face.

He just stared into her eyes waiting for her to continue. "My scars are not from some great battle, well not all of them anyway. They are punishment…"

"For what?" Toh interrupted her; wanting to know what she possible could have done wrong when she always had been the most honorable, fairest and kindest soul he had encountered.

"For telling the truth and please don't interrupt." She said a little harder than she had meant to. "I along with my brothers and sister are not what you can call normal among humans. We are experiments, from an era that no longer exist. The former World Alliance knew from the start that they had only very little chance of winning the war; therefore they started something no one had ever dared to do, alter human DNA. I was the first and Dr. Thomas always said that no one knew how many modifications I had or how to duplicate my success. The 5 of us were altered to be stronger, faster, smarter and more skilled than normally humans. They trained us from our first breath and made sure that we followed their standards." She paused

Taking the opportunity he asked. "So it was these oomans that hurt you?"

She looked away. "No. besides training the scientists thought that interacting with civilians would prove good for us, like lesion in how to be normal; therefore when I was about 7 I was sent to a foster home, a family who took me in." She frowned with the last words. Toh noticed her less of pleased expression.

"My 'family' was not that thrilled to have me. They didn't know about my abilities or that I was genetic created, only that they had in exchange for a large sum of money taken me in and supposedly raise me as their own. Karin was nice enough I suppose but Frank didn't like me; he saw me like a freak. It was him that found it necessary to remind me of who was in control." She still avoided eye contact.

"What were your punishments for, Max?" Toh asked gentle, tilting her head up to look into her eyes. They radiated pain and hurt that he never had seen in her before and all he wanted was protect her from all that hunted her.

She fought to hold her tears back. "For telling the truth." A tear fall and crossed her cheek.

Toh wiped the tear away not carrying if she was crying, if she was weak or not. In his eyes she would always be the braves and most honored female he ever had encountered. He cradled her into his arms, holding her as she let her silence tears fall. He didn't know the full extension of the story but for what he could tell, it wasn't pretty and gave his strong female a fear he wanted to but couldn't understand yet. In an effort of soothing her, he started to purr.

Max tried with all her might to hold her tears as the memories of the past waved in over her once again, but to no wail. They came silently and under no control. She felt so stupid; yet crave the touch and soothing of the man in front of her and when he closed her form in his embrace she felt safe and cared for. The purring rumbled throughout them both and she soon forgot her being half naked; her memories disappeared and all that was left was Toh and her. All that she cared about was the closeness of their two bodies and how good it felt when he stroked her hair, nuzzled her sensitive skin. She wasn't afraid anymore; no she wanted to feel more.

In an unknown time the two sat there neither wanting to move. They both just sat with each other; the yautja kissed her soft skin on her exposed shoulder with his mandibles. He wasn't aware of his own doing before he felt the female move so he had more room to reign over. He felt her hand on his chest, moving up and found a dreadlock to play with. The power this female had over him was unbelievable as her touches made him want her even further. This was what he had wanted for so long and he was feeling even more satisfied with the thought of being able to pleasuring his mate than just relieve himself and if he was planning of doing that, they needed to take it slow enough for her to be sure and not only acting on her primal instinct. He was confused of himself; wanting her acting on her primal instincts was exactly what he had wanted all a long; what had changed? He had, his feelings, this was not like any other woman he had been with. No she was something special, she was the one he wanted not only as a mating partner but as a companion in life. He just hopped she felt the same way, that she would let him care that much for her.

He held his urge to kiss her skin once more; instead held her close and enjoyed the feeling of her warm body against his. The tears slide silently down her cheeks and down on his chest and Toh couldn't care less. He had his female in his arms and that was all that mattered. He purred and saying random things to sooth her and after a couple of minutes Max sat still in his arms.

Max opened her eyes not sure of her feelings in the moment. Her head told her to get the hell out of there, away from the male but her heart told her to stay where she felt safe. To stay in his arms and give in for all the feelings that she had locked away for so long.

She looked up at him and he looked back with beautiful amber-colored eyes. He smiled at her and stroked a tear away from her cheek with a thumb. Before he could remove his hand she leaned into it to savor his touch.

They still held each others eyes and both knew that no words were needed. He knew she needed him in this moment and she knew he was there for her. That he would hold the memories away if only for tonight.

Toh saw that Max was exhausted and without asking permission he lay down; taking her with him. He covered them both with the covers. He could feel the towel shift between them, it still held a thin separation between her naked body and his own body; only covered by his loincloth. Her fine hair spread across her back like a sea of silk and he stroke it gentle. The other hand rested on the small of her back supporting her as she lay halfway on him; resting her head on his chest.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Toh looked down at the smiling woman and she circled her hand on his chest letting him purr in pleasure, before resting it where his heart was.

"No, thank you." He whispered just before he saw her fall asleep; he soon followed.

-

Max let out a sigh she must have been dreaming, it was a nice dream though; having Toh close to her like she had. She smiled at the thought of his touches and the feeling of his body against her own only separated by a towel. Not opening her eyes Max snuggled into the warmth beneath she thought back to what she had believed was a dream. It had felt so real, real enough that she still could smell him all close and feel his touch? Doubt started to wave in on her. She inhaled deeply; just before feeling what she had thought was a pillow shift a bit under her.

It hadn't been a dream; it had been real. Max opened her eyes looking up she saw Toh sleep peacefully with a small smile on his mandibles. His arms was around her body, holding her close to him and it was here Max noticed that something wasn't right. The towel between them was not where she left it the evening before and she lay all naked up against the yautja. First a deep blush crept up on her cheeks as Max thought of numbers of ways to get the piece of fabric back in place. But after a couple of seconds she relaxed. The feeling of Toh beneath her was not too bad and he defiantly wouldn't mind their position; would she?

The answer was no she wouldn't. Not anymore. It was not like she would go any further than this. Yes she loved the way he kissed her skin and his hands roaming her body but that was it. Right? Slowly she relaxed and again felt sleep waving in over her.

-

**That's it for this time. Please Review!**


	7. Meetings

Notice, in the first chapter I just noticed that I by accident wrote that Toh was 8'7 tall. He's 7'8. Sorry for the slip up.

And sorry, there won't be much action or anything in this chapter, only a little more knowing of characters.

Thanks to all my readers and all the nice reviews I received, they make me all warm and fussy inside.

Disclaimers: read one of the others from the previous chapters, nothing has changes ;)

Chapter 7 – Meetings

A smile was his greeting as he woke from the land of sleep. The woman in his arms was sill sleeping and the morning's event played like a movie inside his head. This woman was not only the strong willed female that could break a hard meat's neck with her bare hands, but also the girl whose past still hunted her.

The woman moved and with that the yautja allowed his gaze travel down her body. The covers shielded her lower part but her naked upper body was exposed. Her breasts pressed up against his side, Goosebumps covering her pale skin, indicating the colder temperature in the room.

It was mid day, if he read the sun's position right. It was a lot easier with only one sun. How he missed his home world's twin suns. They didn't create wonderful paintings every morning or evening but they were just as beautiful like this earthen sun in between and the heat they provided was a lot more welcoming than this winter coating world.

Max stroked a hand across his chest. He savored the feeling of her hand's soft touch. The purr came before he noticed it himself. It was so nice, so calming in one way and still exciding at the same time. Shame the only times Max would touch him like this was either when she was upset or asleep.

A sharp sound pierced the silent. Max stirred, not entirely awake but not asleep either. Toh looked around for the source; he knew that sound, why couldn't he remember what it was?

"Toh, would you please take the phone for me?" Max asked with her face buried in his neck. The male looked for the small device. Luckily he found it within reach and quickly retrieved the annoying cell.

"Yes?" Her voice sounded muffled as her face still was hidden in his neck and her still groggy voice made her sound even more tired.

"What? Yes you did… No. Of course not." Toh could feel her warm breath against his skin, it felt good but what felt even better was that even though the woman was fully awake now she still held her position up against him. Her breasts pressing up against him with every breath she took.

"You want to do what? Why?" The female moved to a sitting positing, making small movement with her unoccupied hand when she spoke. His hand still held its place at her right thigh. She glanced at Toh for a brief second and a blush crept up her face.

_Who was she talking to?_ Toh tried to see if he could hear what the other said in the other end of the conversation but couldn't. The only thing he could do for now was wait and enjoy the view of the woman's exposed skin, enjoy the beautiful long scars that wrapped her back.

_If only she hadn't turned her back at me_. He chuckled by his own thoughts. He knew she had deliberately turned her back to him when she sat, she would not be comfortable enough to show it all at once and he was honored that she had showed him so much so far. She had not yelled at him or moved away from him when she woke. She had not let him know that this had been a one time accident, that if he didn't let go she would kick his ass; but mostly and all, she hadn't covered herself but stayed in his arms.

"I will talk to him…" Toh turned his attention to the discussion once more. Was she talking about him?

"… Just wait a minute okay?" Max covered the mouthpiece with the palm of her hand and turned her head to his. The twist she was forced to make with her body gave Toh a nice view of her left breast but kept his eyes with the female. "Terry wants to meet us both. He and Ian really want to meet you." She smiled with a blush as she pulled the white towel up to cover her front.

"Why?" He asked not that he didn't want to meet her family, but he really wanted to know why they first asked now.

Max dropped her eyes from his. "They have been tormenting me about it ever since they learned about you." She looked at him with apologizing eyes. "Sorry Toh, I just didn't think it would be safe." She said sincere.

Toh let out a low purr to let her know that he wasn't mad. "Then let us meet, maybe they will stop bugging you if they do." He said with a grin and she returned the smile when she went back to the phone.

"Terry, you still there? Yes we'll come; only you, Ian and Tanya. Not Paul is that understood?" She asked; her brow knitted in the middle of her forehead. "Good, we'll be there tomorrow alright? Love you too, see you soon." And with that she ended the call.

Toh stroke a thumb over a spot on Max's hip before getting up. He had to see if he had received any transmissions via the repaired long range transmitter.

No one yet, but that didn't mean his clan hadn't received his message though.

-

Max was nervous about the whole thing; one thing was letting Terry and Ian know about Toh, another was showing him to them. She trusted her family but something told her that this day would not turn out as planned; if it was for the better or the worse she couldn't tell.

"What's troubling you Max?" Toh's voice cut her back to the real world.

She sighed inwardly and thanking that the road was a straight line. She had lost herself completely and first now noticed the road in front of her. She sized her grip around the steering wheel before answering. "What do you mean?" She asked. Answering with a question, the best solution for questions you rather shun.

Toh touched her unoccupied arm and with that Max shuttered, trying to concentrate on the road instead of the contact they now shared. "Don't avoid my question woman, you should know better." He said all close up and she could smell him more freely than she had before.

She didn't answer for a time. The chill sensation down her back was first now starting to ward off. "I'm just worried that's all." Max said to her invisible friend beside her. They had that morning decided that if he was about to go anywhere in the middle of the day he was forced to cloak himself from prying eyes. She sighed now loud enough for him to hear. "And don't call me woman, she said almost in defeat. He had call her 'woman' as his personally nick name and she hated it; knowing what he meant by it. Not that she hated knowing that he wanted her but the fact that she lately was starting to react to the name, that she starting to **like** it and that made her hate it even more.

"You told me that you trust these people and that they are your family, did you not?" He asked calm, his hand trailed further down to her hand and let it rest on top of it like it was perfectly normal.

"I **do** trust them; it's just a feeling, okay." She snapped, taking her hand away from his, hating herself for it.

He didn't say anything after that and Max was starting to wonder if she had been too hard on him, she had been a little hash and denying him like that was not her real intention but she couldn't stop herself.

Ever since their moment the day before she had felt weird around Toh; she had felt her heart beat twice as fast every time he neared her and though she wouldn't amid it did she curl a little closer to the big male that night. In her own mind she had convinced herself that it was because she was cold, but she knew that wasn't completely true.

They arrived at Terry's house. Maxine and Toh'el'ach stepped out of the car and closed in on the house. Toh noticed how plain the house looked compared to most others he had seen. The lawn was barely kept and thick plants were growing on every inch of the walls that he could see. Before they even could knock, the door opened and in the doorway stood a woman. By her looks, Toh estimated her to be a little younger than Max and by ooman standards, not including Max, she was fairly pretty. Her hair was short and blond, her eyes brown, her body slim and her skin pale as if she didn't get enough sunlight. Toh couldn't stop being proud of his woman every time he saw another ooman woman, this time included. He liked the way Max had her hair, how she dressed and kept her figure and mind in shape every day.

"Hi little sis, how's it going?" He heard Max say in front of him.

The two hugged each other, something he had seen her do with her brothers as well. _It must be a ritual of some kind_. He thought.

"Hi, big sis. You know how it is; the others are already ready and waiting." Max's sister said, then looked behind Max as if she was looking for something or someone. "He is with you right?" She asked in a slight whisper to her bigger sister.

With that Max couldn't stop herself from laugh. "He is, now let us come in and you'll meet him soon enough Tanya." She said, looking directly at Toh.

The yautja knew Max had a way to know where he was; cloak or not, she knew. Tanya showed them inside and the first thing Toh noticed was the cheer size of the house. It hadn't look like much from the outside, but the inside was a whole different story. They had stepped in to a hall of some kind; he could see a pair of stairs leading from the room and upstairs to the second floor. Muffled voices draw him to one of the adjoining rooms.

Max took off her coat and showed it away into a closet. Smiling she moved toward her friend. "Come and meet my family Toh." She said. He followed her and Tanya, who still was gazing everywhere trying to catch a glimpse of him, into a larger version of Max's living room. Inside sat two males one on a couch and on in a cozy-looking chair. Tanya sat on the couch with one of the men; all had fixed their attention toward Max. However, he knew that would soon change.

"Tanya, Ian and Terry." Max started. "Please let me introduce you to the friend that I have told you about; Toh'el'ach." She smirked, and then added. "Also under the name Toh."

Toh, who was surprised that she had pronounced his name perfectly this time turned off of his cloaking device; letting the oomans see him.

The siblings sat almost doubting their eyes as a shape appeared in front of them like water was washing him visible. Then when the cloak was fully down they was stunned; in front of them stood a 7'8 tall, thing. He was dressed in armor and leather, his hair was in dreadlocks and he wore a mask that covered his face. They knew Max had told them that he was an alien and that he wasn't like any other humans, but she failed to mention all the other things like his ability to be invisible, his sheer size or how foreign he looked.

"Well…" Was all what escaped one of the males. Toh found the silence annoying and just wanted the whole starring at the alien to be done and over with.

It looked like Max had noticed the deadly silence and took the opportunity to do something about it. "Toh, this is my siblings; you have already met Tanya" He looked at the female who almost jumped as she saw him turning his attention to her alone. _A frighten little thing._ He thought. "Next to her is Terry, they're twins." She explained.

Toh turned his attention to the male and could instantly see what she meant by twins. The male had the same Brown eyes and blond hair. Beside that they just looked like an exact copy of each other, the one just female and the other male.

"Left is Ian." Max said, walking over to the alien. Toh looked at the last person in the room. He was tall, by human standards, with dark hair and even darker eyes. He looked even younger than all the others but not much. The ooman male gave Toh a slight nodded in greetings and Toh returned it the same way.

An awkward silence fell as the four siblings didn't know what to say and Toh had no idea what to say. This had all been Max's brothers' idea if they had second thoughts it was a little too late now.

"_What are they waiting for?"_ Toh asked in his own language to Max hoping that she could make things more pleasant for him as he right now was the object of three pair of staring eyes.

"Okay! Guys, enough with the staring, as I told you earlier; he's alright and am not here to harm anyone." Max said to the others.

"_Speak for yourself woman."_ He had been on several hunts, on this planet all had been bad bloods but still hunts. Not that he ever would harm anyone that Max cared about, however She had even been with him on most of the hunts herself and enjoyed it and that made him care about her even more.

"You're not helping!" She spoke frowning; which gain her the attention now as none had understood what Toh had been saying but Max had answered in plain English.

"You understand him?" Ian asked with a raised eyebrow.

Max just sighed, _why didn't I explain the things more thorough when I had the chance? _She thought. Taking Toh under the arm and led him to the empty couch, they both sat. "Yes I understand him, no I don't speak his language yet and yes he does understand what we are saying." She said knowing that these questions would have been the next on the list.

"Okay so can I ask him a question?" Terry asked, looking at Toh.

_Finally, _Toh thought as he nodded to answer the male.

"What, Who are you? What are you doing here?" Terry asked.

Toh could sense the worries and suspicions in him as the male spoke. He turned to Max and if she could see through his mask, she would have seen that he was looking at her with one question written all over his face. _You didn't tell them?_

She gave him her most apologizing eyes she could muster without being caught by her siblings.

"_You translate for me right?"_ He asked, not waiting for the answer he continued. _"My name is Toh'el'ach, I am an honored hunter among my people called the yautja."_ He started to fume with the hoses to his mask while Max translated for them. The hiss made a really good effect as he noticed Max's siblings sitting listening like three little pups. He took the mask off and let them take in his face. The two males didn't say or do anything but Tanya made a little gasp; her eyes fasten on his mandibles. _"I came to Earth for many weeks ago on a hunt for three bad bloods; criminals. That was where I first met Max. She helped me and saved my life. _(Max added 'and he saved mine')_ She tended my wounds and let me live with her. Both the bad blood's and my own shuttles are beyond repairs so I can not leave the planet."_ He finished, letting Max speak the last couple of words.

"So you're stuck here, huh?" This time it was Ian who spoke.

Toh nodded.

"And you saved our sisters life?" The male continued.

Again Toh nodded slightly annoyed that the male hadn't been listening.

"That only leaves me back with one question." The dark haired man said. Toh prepared himself for anything; these oomans cared for their sister a great deal and that showed; they would even go so far to challenge him if they thought he wasn't worthy to her. "Would you do it again or was the saving grace only a one time thing?" He smirked.

"Ian!" Max burst, throwing a cushion from the couch at him. She couldn't believe her own brother had asked that question and to Toh. The yautja's ego would be boosted tenfold after this.

Toh just smirked back, feeling pride swelling up in him, her brother had accepted him and that made him proud. He couldn't hold a chuckle as the cushion flew through the air and hit the male right in the head. After that the mood was much more pleasant and they started to talk more freely. He told them about himself and his people and they listened very intense; even Max who had heard the stories a couple of time before sat watching him while listening and translating for the others.

After a while they decided that it was time for some lunch and all the way the 5 sat around the table laughing and joking at each other telling old stories about each other; to Max's dread as Terry decided that his today's theme was 'Max's embarrassing moments'.

"Oh. Oh. Do you remember when we were one of our assignments and Max was using her hidden secret to find the case that we had been ordered to find and bring to General Wilson?" Terry asked gaining a deep blush from Max who was about to seal the boy's mouth shut before he could start.

"Oh yah I remember, Toh you will love this one; go on tell it Terry." Tanya laughed. Max just groaned hiding her face in her hands as he started on the tale.

"So we were assigned to get this case; none of us knowing how it will look like or how to find it but our leader and brainiac…"

"Ian is the brainy one among us, not me." Max stated but let him continue.

"I know but not this time; you did succeed remember? Well, we were no more than 16 and it was one of our last missions before the shutdown. Max had us all standing outside this huge complex trying to find a plan that would take us to the target. She used us all like her little soldiers until the real thing. She assigns us in three groups me and Tanya, Paul and Ian and her alone to cover the area. Tanya and I took the hangars, Paul and Ian had the bunkers and Max here decides that she would take the main building alone. Our job was easy as all was either asleep or not noticing us.

Max on the other hand decided that a sneak in was the way inside. She just used the wrong window as entrance; the fist thing she sees is one of the officers split naked right in front of her. He was about to take a shower and the only thing that Max could think of, not to blow her cover, is to go with the flow." Terry smirked seeing Max turning more and more crimson in her face, giving him a daring look which he just returned with a bright smile.

"So what did she do?" Toh asked eager to hear the rest of the story.

"She took off all her clothes, hiding it, wrapped a towel around her and faced him; telling that the women's shower was not functioning and hurried out of the room. The officer didn't anything else; he had only enjoyed the look of a young woman almost naked.

Making sure that she was not seen and she ran determined to find the case, she found the commanders office and after looking several places she found it but right when she was about to hightail out of there the owner of the office stepped inside, sees her and think, like most males do, that she's there just for him. The really ugly man started to hit on her and make all kinds of attempts to get her out of the towel. Max with one hand around of the newly found box and the other busy holding the wrapping in place she does the only thing she could think of. She started to cry. The dumb folded man stopped his teasing and that's when our colonel escaped by hitting the man's pride, making sure he wouldn't get up for a long time and after rounding us all up she walked back to our rounding sight only in a white towel and Ian's jacket in 1 foot snow." Terry finished the story and all started to laugh.

It had all been much more funny as she had had a little almost invisible camera attached to the side of her head recording the whole event. General Wilson had promoted Max after that to Colonel. They all had a good laugh and she a good excuse to beat the crap out of them all.

"Okay laugh it up guys I still tries to whip out the picture of the naked guy from my mind and I did what I needed to do, even if it meant wandering around naked." Max smirked as she tried to contain her blush that almost made her face look like a wild fire.

"Oh and do you remember when you got shot in your..?"

"Ian!" Max cried, stopping him from finishing the sentence.

The man sent her a smirk. He loved when they had the opportunity to make her embarrassed and it had work as he heard a deep rumble he only could determine as a laughter from the alien, and Max's face flushing more crimson than he had seen it for a long time.

"_If I knew your family to be this entertaining I would have insisted on meeting them for a long time ago."_ Toh chuckled; his only response was eyes like deathly daggers from the female beside him.

"You wouldn't say that if it was you who they would crack jokes about the whole day. And for your information, the bullet hit my thigh, nothing else." She had laughed at the first couple of jokes, but as the time went by it started to get old and annoying.

Toh let his hand take hers under the table just to give her a reassuring squeeze. Their eyes met, if only for a second before Toh let go just as fast as he had touched her and the unmistakably sight of red across her cheeks made the chatter that had sounded loudly to calm down.

"Tell me Max, how can it be that you can understand our friend here?" Tanya asked, while Terry and Ian listened intense.

The memory of how Toh had handled that task came fresh in mind and with that a smile. They both had no idea how to handle the other.

"Toh gave me a shot of nanobots to translate for me. We had a little language problem that needed a solution. Toh's was the quickest way out of that one." Max answered, Still trying to figure out why Toh had taken her hand like he had.

"You're kidding right?" Terry leaned a little over the table as he was trying to see the hint of amusement in either Toh's or Max's eyes. Nothing. "You can do that? We, as the human race, has tried to figure out how to use nanobots for I don't know for how many years but still haven't made them do anything else than blow themselves up." He said astound, sizing his sister like if he was deciding if she would blow up any second.

"Actually it is possible, just not with the current science interest our government have now a days. They like the explosive nanites and when all research companies has to go through the government before even think about new science and development, there's not much research on that front. If it isn't for the military they simple doesn't care and that's why we have a society like we have today where we have the rich and powerful and then everyone else." Ian explained in 'a matter of fact' tone and continued before anyone could interfere his rant.

"If our government used there recourses right, we wouldn't have homeless children or so many criminals on the streets or so many innocent in the jails. We wouldn't have to be frightened every second."

"Like I said, Ian is the brainiac." Max giggled when she saw the others looking at Ian in a very weird way.

"Dude, you spent too much time in the geek world." Terry stated.

"_Is he alright; he sounds like one of those men, you call politicians, I have seen on the TV." _Toh asked concerned for Max's brother.

"Uh? Oh he will be. He get this way sometimes and he's right, the world today is not full of joy and it is the governments fault that the human technology is so far behind as it is and it's definitely theirs fault that we are hunting the criminals instead of the police." Max said.

"_I agree with you one that one, the human race has become a lesser prey in the last many decades."_

"Thanks, just rub it in, so we're a lesser prey now, that's nice to know." Max frowned, not paying attention to her siblings that was listening to their conversation; or rather her conversation as they couldn't understand Toh.

"So Toh, do you have anymore of those shots or is it just me that feel left out?" Terry asked, looking from the 'couple' to the others three.

"I'm with you bro." Tanya stated while Ian nodded in agreement.

Toh tapped both his lower mandibles in thought. _"I did only have one sample; it's not common to have any with us at all." _Toh said in thoughts and Max translated.

"If you hade the right facilities would you be able to make some more?" Ian asked already starting to find solutions on the problem.

"_I could but needed a sample from the original ones that I gave Max and I'm not sure your facility is advanced enough to produce them correctly."_ Toh didn't like the idea of taking samples from Max. The nanobots were attached to her brain and if the attractions went wrong she could be damaged.

Max translated. "Don't worry about getting a sample from the originals; I think it will be easier than you think." She winked. The female knew just what he was thinking and the knitted brows and the endless tapping of his upper left mandible told her that.

"I think my lap will do, so when do we start?" Ian said with a smirk. He loved science. He worked at the local hospital with his wife but on the side he worked in his own little lap.

"What about first thing tomorrow? It's starting to be dark and you have a wife and daughter to go home to. When is your next shift?" Terry said for the yautja.

"I'm free for the next couple of days, so is Tina." Ian looked at Toh. "So what do you say, Tomorrow morning then?"

Toh looked at Max for approval and when he saw it in her eyes he nodded yes.

-

**There you have it, as I said nothing big but I really hope that it was okay anyway. **

**Please review people!!!**


	8. Fireball aka Josephine

YES, I GOT MYSELF A NEW (cough old) COMPUTER!!!

This chapter and the next one was original meant to be one very long one, but as I was finished with this one and still needed to edit the rest I decided to upload this one and make it a two part chapter and make it a little more easy to read.

Thank you to all who have reviewed:

MigetX: Thanks I really try to make their relationship develop naturally even though Max has her trouble with trusting men.

Buffalocatz: Thank you for your review; I love writing cuddling scenes and I promise that there will be more than just cuddling later on; it's rated M for a reason.

Kuro Tatsumaki: Thank you for your review, Here's the next chapter that you asked for ;)

Domo-Kun: Yes you were right; I did continue this. (Your jedi mind trick worked – sort of) Anyway thanks for your comment, it made me really warm inside.

Tennoda: Thank you; yes I tried to give Max some weak spots that told us that she indeed was a human after all and that you never can run from your family (no matter how hard you try) On another note; just want to say that I love your story and can't wait for the next update.

Disclaimers: I don't own the predator but the humans and everything in this fic is mine. A special thanks to my friend for borrowing her name for Ian's and Tina's daughter.

-

**Chapter 8: Fireball aka Josephine**

"You don't have to do this Max'" Toh was still worried that the female didn't understand the danger by going into her brain to take some of her nanobots.

The woman stepped out of the bathroom dressed in a couple of long comfortable pants and a small top that revealed the top of her long scars on her back.

"Don't worry Toh." She said, stepping over the male to get to bed. "I know I haven't told you yet but I think I can control them now." She said just before crawling under covers and the blanket. It was too cold to sleep only with the thin cover.

Toh was not sure he had heard her right. "You can do what?" He asked astound by her statement.

She popped up on her elbow catching his eyes. "It is normal that you can make them do other things than what they original were programmed for right?" She asked, now worried that something was wrong.

Toh shock his head. "No, they should only do the things that they had been programmed to do before they were injected to someone's system. You're telling me that you can make them do other things than translate for you?" He asked concerned for her.

Max bit her lower lip, it wasn't like she had done something wrong but still felt like it; then nodded yes to his question.

"Can you… Um. Can you show me?" He asked not sure how to comprehend this. She nodded again and before Toh could reach out for his mask, Max bent over him to get it. This made him jump a little as she brushed her torso against his lap. She placed the mask on his face; knowing exactly how to fasten it to his face.

"Ready?" She asked.

Toh changed the view in the lenses before giving her his conformation. The sight shocked him utterly. The injection had contained roughly 500 nanobots. About half would stop functioning during the implantation and still the rest would have to work together for her brain to understand the translations. But this?

What he saw was well about all but one leaving her brain and traveled all through her body. The lightning red dots were finding their way al over her body.

"Can you still understand me?" He asked, almost sure that she couldn't.

"Of course, I left one for that job. Tell me that you know what is going one Toh." She said almost pleading. He took off his mask to look into her eyes. They were full of concern and he felt the same way.

"I can't." He sighed. "I have never seen anything like this. Can you… feel them?" He asked, not sure if he wanted her answer.

Max shocked her head. "I can't feel them move inside of me or anything but I can think of something for them to do and they do it. I don't know how much they can do yet; the only things that I have experimented with was moving them around, increase my senses when necessary." She answered with a shrug. She saw the worried look in Toh's eyes and knew that he was thinking of cancel their deal with Ian. He would if he thought it would harm her, she knew that and with that thought her heart fluttered with warmth and joy.

Toh's mind was almost blinded by thoughts. First he had only been worried about Max and what if he would hurt her to help her siblings, but now; this new knowledge made him almost call off everything. Never had anyone been able to manipulate the nanobots to do what they wanted with their mind alone. It took a computer and a connection between the two to do so. What if this was bad, what if he had endangered his woman by injecting something that wasn't computed for oomans? He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he had hurt her with this act; yes it had been the best solution at that time, but what if..?

"Don't worry about me Toh." The female interrupted his endless thoughts by placing her hand on his. He refocused his eyes with hers. They were so beautiful and calm. With that though he mentally tried to remember when he started to think of an ooman as beautiful? He had been one of the worst to come with all the 'an ooman is so ugly that…' jokes back on the ship and look at him now. He was practically in an ooman female's mercy. He cared for her so much that it almost hurt him to think of it.

"I can't." He admitted; grabbing her hand more firm in his.

A playful glint played in her eyes. "You better, I can't have my best friend go around and worry about me all the time. I'm not going to translate for you the rest of your life you know." She said with a smirk as she saw the confusing in his eyes.

Toh opened his mouth to reply but found that he didn't know what to say.

Max's smile grew, she wasn't sure of her own feelings but that didn't mean that she would remain passive.

"Come Toh, we need some rest; it will be a long day tomorrow." She tugged in her hand to make the male to follow her to lie down.

"I'm fine." He said ignoring the drowsiness that washed in over him when he finally felt the bed underneath him.

"Sure." Max smiled, seeing his eyes loosing the battle of staying open. Tugging the cover over him the best she could do with only one hand, Max fell asleep still not sure what to do with all the mixed emotions. This was something that she only could let time fix and with that thought she rested closer to the male; the warmth calming her even further into peaceful dreams.

-

The morning had been quiet as had the drive to the small home of Ian Trail. Once again was the big male cloaked and together they stood in front of a smaller house. It was nice kept but instead of being located far away from civilization as both Max's and Terry's house's were this one was on a small road with at least 7 more homes. Some looked like the one they were about to enter, but others looked like they would collapse any minute. Not thinking more about it, Toh followed Max into her brother's home. There hadn't been anyone to open, Max simply locked herself inside.

"Hello anybody home?" Max called after telling Toh to uncloak.

"Max?" A female voice called from one of the adjoining rooms.

Max smiled and motioned for Toh to follow. "Hi Tina, how are you?" Max asked as they stepped into a big kitchen. A short woman stood by one of the counters with her back to them, cutting some kind of vegetables; her height making her almost half of his. Her hair was long and black with almost bluish streaks.

The woman turned sending Toh a look before looking only at Max like she had known the yautja all her life. "Oh fine, Josephine's with her grandparents, she should be home around midday though. Ian is down in the lab." The woman now looked at Toh smiling, extending her hand to him. "Hi my name is Tina, I am Ian's wife. Nice to meet you." She said polite but sincere.

Toh looked a little dumfound at her hand, was this another ooman ritual? He wondered.

"_What is she doing?"_ Toh asked Max; not knowing what was expected of him.

Max smiled at him. "Take her hand and shack it." She told him and showed him as she took a hold of Tina's hand gentle and shock it once before letting go for him to try. He took a hold of the woman's tiny hand tying not to crush it within his huge one as they shock hands.

"_Strange costume you oomans have."_ He chuckled which gained a light punch from his woman.

"Behave." She scolded him, but silently gave him right in that one.

"You are so cute together, you know that?" Tina giggled after watching the two banter at each other like every other couple did.

"What?" Max turned her head so fast that she almost felt lightheaded by the movement.

Tina contained her laughter but couldn't hide a giant smile from her face. "Ian's down in the basement." She said ignoring the glare she received from her friend; she knew that Max couldn't stay mad at her for long, just like her brother.

Max nodded still a little taken aback at the fact that they had been the house for about 5 minutes and Tina could already see the bickering she and Toh had between each other. Not that cute was a word she would use for it.

"Ian?" Max called as she dragged Toh with her down a flight of some very narrow stairs. The basement was divided in two rooms. One with all kinds of computers installed and the other filled with all sorts of chemicals.

"Max! Toh! Come, I was just making everything ready for us." He said happy from behind one of the gloving screens.

If Toh had been worried about not having the right equipment, it had vanished with the sight of more advanced ooman equipment that he had ever seen any where else on the planet; most looked like Max's brother had made them from scrap. Look could deceive though but for now he was pleased.

-

"What do you mean by it's not working?" Max asked looking at Toh. They had worked the most of the morning. Toh and Ian had been convinced that this had been an easy job if they just got a sample of Max's original nanobots, but now as they had replicated one of them it just didn't work. The earthen technology and the yautjan were too far from each other to synchronize that easily.

The doorbell sounded along with the front door opened. "Mommy, Daddy, I'm home!" A girl's voice cut off all thoughts.

"Maybe a brake is what we need?" Max asked them both. She was not as nerdy as her brother and the only reason she would bother being down there was to be the human translator or she would have been spending time talking with Tina or working in the living room with one of her own projects; her boss still needed the last rapport about her translating. Though it had been a lot easier lately to do her work, not only could she use Toh's pad for help but also the fact that she had learned the yautjan main language, the ancient tongue were a little harder but still manageable.

"_Maybe. Is that Ian's pup we heard before?"_ Toh asked as they followed Ian upstairs.

"Yes, you'll like her." Max smiled, then stopped in her thoughts. "Umm Ian… Have you told Josephine about Toh?" She asked hoping that he had.

Ian stopped as well; he too saw the flaw in their doing. "Ups, um… Wait here until I call, okay?" He said before running the last steps two at the time.

Toh, who was standing behind Max, was starting to get restless. He had been sitting in a chair for too long and now standing still on a tight stair; the only good thing about this was the view. If he stepped back a couple of steps he had a nice sight of Max's butt.

"What are you doing?" Max asked, but didn't have to turn to know where his eyes were glued to.

"_Making the best out of the situation." _He answered but decided that being near her was much better.

"So you stare at my ass?" Max frowned, but couldn't stop a smile as he stepped right up behind her, stroking her hand on the banister with his own.

"_If you want me to do something else with it…"_ He smirked as she turned and hit him on the arm; not too hard but with enough force that he could feel it afterwards.

"I prefer you forgot about my ass and concentrated on something else." She interrupted and by his look he did as he still stood a step lower than she did and with the new angle, he had a nice view of her front.

Giving the male a warning glare and with a hopeless groan, she turned her back to him once again. Not only to hide her breasts from the over hormone producing male but also to hide the smile that was almost impossible to force away.

"_what?"_ She could clearly hear the smirk he had on his mandibles and that made the forced-away smile to reappear at her face.

"Why do you have to look at me like I'm some kind of piece of meat and you'll someone who haven't eaten for days?" She asked.

He was about to come with a response when they heard Ian's voice from the other side of the door.

"Okay guys, you can come out now." He called and with that they climbed the few remaining steps before entering the main house.

"Maxi! Maxi! Maxi!" A high girly voice called and before anyone knew it a 4 year old girl jumped up into Max's arms.

"Woaw, I'm happy to see you too." Max laughed as Josephine hugged her aunt for all what she was worth.

"Grandma and Grandpa got a puppy and they said that I could name him so I called him Spot because he has so many spots and…" The girl ranted on about her visit.

"That's nice." Max said knowing that it could take a while before the little fireball calmed down to actual listen. Tina and Ian had already disappeared properly to get a few moments alone.

"…But mom always tells me that we can't get a puppy… Wooow…" Josephine said; with large eyes looking at Toh.

"What..?" Max asked but started to get nervous as she knew that Toh stood right behind her. "Don't worry honey he won't hurt you." Max said calm, just in case the girl was frightened.

"You are big!" She exclaimed while she wriggled in Max's arms to get down.

Seeing the shocked and almost afraid expression in Toh's eyes was enough for Max to let Josephine down.

"Hi!" Josephine greeted with her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth on her heels. "My name is Josephine, what is yours?" She asked and to the hunters horror the girl stretched her arms for him to pick her up.

"_What is she doing?" _He asked the female beside him; ignoring the smile Max flashed by his discomfort.

"She wants you to pick her up." She answered not covering her smile at all.

"_I can see that but…"_

Toh was about to end his question when small hands tugged his loincloth for attention.

"You sound funny." Josephine said looking up with clear green eyes.

"_So do you." _He answered as he picked up the little pup. She didn't weight anything and her small frame made him wonder if he would break her if he wasn't careful.

The girl giggled as Toh lifted her up to sit on his arm. "You look strange." Josephine stated as she first pointed at his mandibles, and then took one of them between her thin fingers.

"_I must __amid; she's a brave little on. Or stupid." _He added through his remaining three free mandibles.

"Behave, just because they can't understand you, you don't have to talk like that." Max said disappointed.

"What did he say Aunt Max?" Josephine asked, looking at the male in awe.

Make smiled at her little niece. "He just called you brave honey. Why don't you go out in the kitchen to your mom and dad, I need to talk to Toh for a moment." Max took Josephine from Toh's grip before setting her back down on the floor.

"Okay Aunt Maxi. Mommy, Mommy, I just met uncle Toh!" Her voice was carried all through the house as the girl ran gingerly for her parents.

"_Uncle Toh?"_

Max placed a hand on his arm and guided him to the living room. "It's just her way to accept you, you should be honored; she's normally shy around strangers." Max said feeling stupid as it seemed like her smiled just couldn't fade.

Ian and his family joined the two not long after and after good 10 minutes talk and a lot of probing from Josephine's side, Ian, Max and Toh resumed work.

-

They had reached little progress, though the nanobots still weren't ready for injection they weren't far from it. The time read 1 am and Max was beaten and all she could think about was a soft bed. They had already agreed to stay over that night. More to Toh and Ian's request as they seamed to get along and both really wanted to get the nanobots finished and the fact that it had started to snow and as it looked like it wouldn't stop anytime soon.

"God, no matter what you say, I'm going to bed." Max said with her fifth yawn in less than 10 minutes. Toh looked at the tired female and silently agreed with her, she needed the sleep as he wasn't about to have a cranky female the next morning.

"What, you need to translate for me, or this will be turned into a guessing game." Ian pleaded.

Giving her brother a glare she shocked her head no. "I'm tired and you should be going to bed too and start on a fresh tomorrow anyway." She said before started her ascend up the stairs.

"_Sleep well my woman."_ Toh wished and laughed at her muttering of property confusing and he should be glad that she was too tired to kick his ass.

It took the males 20 minutes to realize that they too were tired and wanted some sleep before they continued.

"Listen Toh, since we only have one guest room, I thought that you could use the couch." Ian said motioned for the living room but Toh ignore him. Why was all oomans so persistent about letting him sleep on something that clearly wasn't made for someone to sleep on?

"Toh, where are you going?" Ian asked, but he was cut off as Toh closed the door behind him to the guest room. He took off all clothes and armor except his soft leather loincloth and joined his woman under the cover. She slept peacefully and with a low purring he snuggled as close as he dared to preserve her warmth before he too fell into a peaceful sleep.

-

"So what are going on between you and you know?" Tanya laughed. Max didn't look at her sister but continued her work with the dishes.

"I don't know what you're talking about Tanya." She tried to hide her annoyance as she knew exactly what the younger woman was talking about.

Tanya smiled. "Oh I think you know precisely what I'm talking about. Ian told us that Toh insisted on sleeping with you last night."

Max rolled her eyes, of course he did, that man was even worse than Terry to keep anything for himself. "First of all, we didn't sleep together; we just slept in the same bed." She paused as the said male came to view from the kitchen window along with her two brothers; both trying to bring her friend down. He hadn't quit got the rules of how to play football yet and an involuntary smile replaced her previous frown.

"See, that's what I'm talking about." Tanya said with a smug grin but Max didn't see it as her thoughts wandered back to the event the same morning.

She remember going to bed and sometime later felt Toh coming to join her. If they hadn't slept in the same bed together for so many weeks now she would have shouted at him to get out, but she let him sleep up against her and as she had felt that it wasn't enough she had crept closer to the male.

Hell, he had seen or at least felt her naked at this time, so this was nothing and she felt better when they were close. Thinking of it, everything felt better if the yautja were close by. Even with his comments and his constant nickname she liked it when he was at her side.

The morning had only magnified her trust and comfort with the male. She had been having one of her nightmares that normally had roamed her mind before she met Toh. They still came but not as often and many times when she woke up they were only blurs that told her that they were a nightmare but she couldn't remember what they had been about.

Not this time; the nightmare had been like they always were, about her youth and in a mix of true events and her own fantasy; all in one mixed bowl of horror and angst.

She had waken covered in sweat but she somehow instantly felt safe as she felt strong arms around her and the familiar purring that was unique for her best friend.

-

Toh woke with the sound of his woman whimper in her sleep. He always hated seeing her like this and with no hesitation he wrapped her in his embrace to give her strength and comfort. The purring came on its own as he could feel her tear rub off on his chest.

"Be strong Maxine." He whispered tracing one of her scars on her back. He knew where they were now and felt the same kind of proud about them that he did about his own. Even though she had told him that they were nothing to be proud of, he couldn't stop seeing them as a part of her and they told a story of how great a worrier she was even as a young pup.

He could feel her relax a bit and her bearing, breathing and heart rate told him that she had woken. Looking down at her he just smiled down at her and she returned the smile as she reached over to hold the male closer.

"Thank you." She whispered as they lay back in comfort just enjoying the silence, warmth and feeling of each other.

Toh traced his mandibles over the top of her head, inhaling her scent in the same time; he never grew tired of the smell and if he could only smell one smell for the rest of his life, it would be this one he would choose.

She sighed; when did all this become so… Comfortable? Nice? Safe between them? When did she think of him like someone she could trust and not the brutal single minded male that she had convinced herself that all men were?

"What are you thinking of Max?" Toh asked, stroking her hair and traced her curves down her back; stopping just before her bottom.

"You. Me. This." She sighed once more, trying to decide if she should pull away or just stay in his arms forever, exploring the unfamiliar yet exciding feeling that he produced inside of her. It wasn't like the hot primal cry for sex that she so often took men for, but this feeling that told her that as long as he was here she would be safe, be cared for, be loved. 'Loved? God my head must be twisted; I can't love, I don't know how and after reading about Toh's race on his pad I doubt he knows what love is either. Maybe that is what makes him… No I must not think like this I…'

Max was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't hear Toh's question or see how the male looked down at her to see if she was alright. She was not sure what to think, her mind told her how everything _should_ be but her heart and the rest of her body told her otherwise and truthfully; it was rather scary not knowing what to do or expect.

-

I know that I stopped in a cliffhanger this time, please forgive me.

And if you want a face on our heroes I've have a link on my profile for you all to see (my homepage), and note that Maxine's colors isn't the right ones. I don't know if it's my scanner or my computer or something. You can tell that I'm not the biggest brainiac with a computer right? Well check them out for yourself and tell me what you think.

**Review**** if you would be so kind ;)**


	9. Fire and Ice

"Max

Here you have it; I'm soooo sorry for the delay. If you know how unlucky I am you wouldn't even read this story, afraid that it was contagious. Well the story and everything I've written (which were about 20-30 pages of things that would happen in the next couple of chapters) were deleted, don't ask me how. My dad, who's a computer geek, couldn't even find the backup that Word normally makes for these kinds of situations. Anyhow, I have crisis with some of my friends, everybody is leaving me, I can't find my MP3-player (which I'm addicted to) and I'm sure that even my dog hates me. Life's great huh?

Well, when all that was over and done with, all I need is telling you that if you haven't figured out that I don't own anything resembling the Predators you haven't been paying enough attention. Now go read the damn story, that's what you came to do right…?

**Chapter 9 – Fire and Ice **

"Max?" Toh asked gentle as he stroked her hand that lay on his chest with his. He had seen her zoom out and as she didn't response his questions he was starting to get worried.

A couple of blinked, moistening her eyes in the process, before looking up and locking her eyes with his.

"Huh?"

Toh couldn't help a little smile creeping upon his mandibles. "You disappeared for a minute." He said; continued stroking her hand.

"Oh, sorry." She could already feel the heat stroking her cheeks and the fact that she had zoomed out like that was not helping either.

"Don't be, I know that you have a hard time." He replied referring to them being together. At least hoping that they soon would be. Holding her like he did in the moment made him want to have her in full. Have her care for him as he cared for her.

A little puzzled she furrowed her brows. How could he know, yes she had told him a little about her past but still, he didn't know about Frank did he?

"I need time Toh, to think, to gather all the mess that my brain is creating at the moment." She sighed; focusing her eyes on Toh's large scar he had across his torso. Her hand enfolded with Toh's lay just beside it.

"Tell me about your scar Toh." She said curios before direct her eyes to his once more. At first she thought he would deny it as she knew how it was to talk about old scars, but seeing the soft and yet proud expression on his face she couldn't suppress a small giggle. She loved it when he looked at her that way, like he would tell her everything about himself if she just asked. That he was proud of telling her about it and that made her in a brief moment wonder if it would be so bad if she told him her secrets.

He guided her hand to trail the scar. "It was on my chiva, my first hunt to be blooded. The first kainda Amedha had been somewhat easy; don't tell that to my trainer though, he would probably tell me that I'm just saying that because I was scared out of my loincloth." He chuckled, knowing that his old trainer wasn't one you bragged in front of. She gave him a soft smile as well that told him that she had caught the small joke.

"I was the only one that killed two but unlike the first hard meat, this one gave up a fight, the scar was made from its talon right before I ended its life." He said proud, capturing Max's attention completely.

Max could just listen to his story while having locked her eyes with his. His every word made her want to hear more and though she didn't know why she felt like she wanted to stay there in his arms she didn't mind in that moment.

A small knock on the door interrupted that thought though and they both turned their eyes to the door.

"Wake up Aunt Max, Uncle Toh. It's snowing!" Josephine's voice called from the other side of the door before hearing he run away laughing a high girly laugh.

"She surely know how to get others attention." Toh chuckled before looking back down at Max. A big mischievous smile was plastered on her face and a glint was playing in her eyes.

Before the male could think one single thought, Max was out of his arms and threw random clothes on her form. "Catch me if you can!" She giggled while she gave him a daring look. Catching her challenge Toh leapt from the bed not caring with clothes but simply bolted right after her as she disappeared through the door.

"Come and get me, show me how good a hunter you are." Max called leading them through the door and out into the back yard, making sure that Toh followed her. She took a big handful of snow between her bare hands, having too much fun to think that it was cold that she was standing in the snow with only a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt over her t-shirt that she had slept in and bare feet.

Toh ran out the door cringing a bit by the cold as he only had a loincloth on him but wasn't giving the chance to go back in before he was hit with something white, soft and very cold in his face.

"What, are you afraid of a little snow?" Max laughed seeing that Toh already had a handful of snow between his hands.

"You better run woman." He too laughed.

"Oh yeah? What'd you do about it if I don't?" She asked but was have to duck an object that had been sent from the male. Smirking Max started to rise again from her crouching position. "If that's the best you can… yelp!"

Toh had used the snowball as an act of distracting so he could charge her front on and now they both were grounded. Max on her back in the snow and Toh on top of her; making sure that she couldn't get up or throw him off of her.

"What were you saying?" He asked smirking at her trying to get free from his grip but he was too heavy. She was about to answer when he captured another mischievous glint in her eyes, closely followed by a handful of snow being smacked straight in his face.

Her loud laughter was nothing to the roar he gave her in both shock and excitement of this game. Once more she tried to skim away from him but the fact that she couldn't stop laughing and he had taken the liberty to tickle the young woman she didn't go far.

"No Toh, don't. Stop!" She laughed as he attacked her ribs in another wave of tickling.

"Only if you say that you're my woman." He stopped for a second for her to breath and register his offer.

"What?! Never." She frowned but the face soon turned into a fit of laughter once again. Tears could be seen in the sides of her eyes but she didn't care, it felt good even though she was about to pee in her pant with laughing so hard.

"No, no, I'll never say that… HaHaHa… Oh please Toh stop." He didn't. "Okay. Okay!" She managed out and instantly he stopped waiting for her to say what he wanted to hear. "Come closer." She whispered a little hoarse from the extreme fit of laughter and he did, sliding his head closer to hers. "I'm your woman." She whispered in defeat, too exhausted to do anything than lying there spread out under the bigger male.

This time it was Toh who had the glint in his eyes, making Max a little nervous. Without a word he stood, taking the female with him in his arms.

"Toh what are you doing?" Max asked now more nervous, seeing that he was headed for a big snowdrift. "Toh? I said the words." She giggled as she felt the rush of adrenaline in her veins once more. The excitement was almost killing her.

"I don't think you really meant it." He smirked, giving her an evil glare that ended in a playful hint.

"Come on Toh, I said that I'm your… Agh!" She tried to wriggle herself out of his arms as they stood right in front of the pile but the struggle made the male loose his footing and once again they both fell to the ground, this time Toh landed right beside her; both laughing out loud while they shoved snow over each other. They fought until they both couldn't move because they had laughed so much.

"God I'm cold." Max stated as they lay in - and half-cover by the snow and it was first now Toh noticed that he wasn't just cold but freezing. He looked at Max; she was just lying there, looking up in the air. You could almost see her trace the few clouds, which was decorating the sky, with her eyes. His eyes traced down her body, noticing that due to the cold her nipples were erect and in that instant he forgot all about being cold and the ache from laughing so much. His thought was focused only on her and the wonders her body was doing in that moment, fantasizing about what he would do to her to make her nipples stand up like that.

"You should see yourself." A low half-laughing voice said from the other end of the lawn. Toh secretly cursed Max's brother but forced his, not so innocent, thoughts about his woman back into the dark once more. Lazy they both stood; looking at Ian standing on the porch grinning for all he was worth. "I don't know if you're crazy or just plain stupid, going outside like this." His grinned widened seeing them both shake the remaining snow off.

"Shot up Ian." Max smiled, she was cold but had had a great time, though her sides still hurt a little from the tickle attack, she couldn't think of another time when she had had it this great.

"I love you too sis." The man smiled, before leading them inside and into the warm house. Tina was in the kitchen preparing some breakfast and Josephine sitting in front of a large TV, watching cartoons still in her pajamas.

-

Later that day both Terry and Tanya came for a visit and not long after lunch the males thought learning Toh football was the best idea of the day.

Tanya and Max were currently doing the dishes while Tina was making sure that Josephine received her daily learning lessons; though her young age Ian and Tina had thought that she needed to learn curtain things.

"There's nothing between me and Toh." Max finally said to Tanya, ignoring the look her sister shot to her.

"Yah I can see that." The younger woman teased as Max looked at the now grounded male before she could stop herself. _There's nothing between us right? _She asked herself. She was so confused about this male, about this man that had made her laugh like she rarely did. That he could make her feel so relaxed and safe in his arms though knowing what and who he was. Why was she so content around him? She had never felt like this about anyone else before and it made her confused and unsure about herself.

-

It had been two days now; Toh and Ian was down in the lab, finishing the project, while Max and Tina was playing with Josephine. Max absolutely adored the little girl and just couldn't get enough of her. It had seemed that the big male too had found a liking to the little fireball but he was too proud to tell anyone that just yet.

She and Toh hadn't done much together than working with Ian on the last knots of problems concerning the nanobots, talking casual along with Ian and Tina and sleep in the same bed. Toh hadn't even tried to touch her, sleep close to her; nothing and it was making her crazy. Sure she had always made it clear for the yautja that she was off limit but when he finally acted upon her whishes she felt empty and sad. She had even caught herself in crawling closer up to the male that night. He had been asleep but after an hour without feeling a bit tired, she scooted up to him to savor his warmth that radiated from him. She fell asleep the moment she rested her head close to his shoulder, as one hand rested on his upper arm and the other under her head.

Toh hadn't really been asleep and through the semi-sleep he felt her move and the small touch between the two of them made his heart almost burst through his chest from both pride and happiness.

-

A soft whimper disturbed his sleep and soon he opened his eyes thinking that Max once again had had a nightmare, but looking down at the female, he found her lying content with her head now resting on his shoulder and her hands clutching his arm, sleeping.

The sound caught his ears once more and now, more awake he could hear that it came from outside their room. Hating that he had to let his female go from the touch he gentle lay her down on her pillow and still a little groggy walked out of the room.

The small cry grew as the male stepped into the living room. It was the little pup, Josephine, and following the sound he found a hidden form, behind one of the couches and the wall. The whimper had subdued a little, probably because she could hear him as the floorboards creaked under his weight. He kneeled in front of her; not knowing what to do with her he petted her head through the blanket that she had hid under. She started to sniffle just before the small whimper started again.

Frustrated he scooted the bundle up into his arms.

"_Don't cry little one."_ He cooed, giving a couple of purrs for her. For a second he was sure the pup only would cry even louder as her whole frame stiffened but then she relaxed and the hem of the blanket slid off of her head, revealing a head full of messy blond hair and wet green eyes.

Not knowing what to do now he just sat there, looking down at the little girl. She sniffed as couple of times as she too watched him in return; her tear that had covered her face started to dry out. The only thing Toh could think of was going to someone who knew something, anything, about small discontented pups.

"What?" Her voice was hoarse as the sleep hadn't really left her yet, but feeling a hand shake her one more time made her open her eyes, seeing Toh sitting with something that looked like a rolled up blanket in one arm and the other on her shoulder.

"_I need your help."_ He said; bending down to brush his mandibles across her cheek.

"Can't it wait to tomorrow?" She asked as his gesture made her just want to curl up to him and stay there forever but in that same moment two small arms launched around her, followed by a small body. Looking down she saw evidence that it were her nice that had her trapped under the blanket that Toh had held only a second ago.

"Hey sweetie what are you doing out of bed in the middle of the night?" She asked in concern as she wrapped her arms around the girl, searching for an answer in the male's eyes, but the complete lost look she found made her soften even more. He simply didn't know anything about children.

"I had a bad dream:" The girl whimpered into Max's shoulder, one of her hands had released the woman and had found the male's hand to hold. Looking down at the little pup he was more lost. Why did he always feel so uncertain with himself when a female cried? He gave the tiny hand a reassuring squeeze and in response she tugged him closer.

"Oh sweetie, it was just a dream. Don't worry we're all here to protect you." Max replied; seeing how Toh had his battle with himself; if he should draw away from Josephine or just comply her request of wanting him near. The woman made his decision for him as she tugged him down to lie beside them. After the sudden shock, the male snuggled closer, draping his arm around them both before the two females drifted off to sleep. Toh on the other hand just couldn't make that happen as he lay there looking at his woman and the small pup.

-

"How do you feel?"

"Can you understand what we're saying?"

"God I'm going to kick Ian's ass if this doesn't work."

" Hey!"

Tanya, Ian, Tina, Toh and Max stood around Terry, who just had been injected with the new nanobots.

Toh had been quiet most of the morning and now stood waiting for the siblings and Tina to calm down. The little pup was entertained upstairs in front of the TV. The reason why he hadn't said anything was beside lack of sleep, were his thoughts killing him. He didn't know what to do about them either. The way Max had started to soften up toward him had been like heaven but he knew that there were something that held her back and he wanted to take away all her worries and that was what made his head spin. He knew that she never would let him do that kind of thing for her, she were too independent for that and still it looked like she couldn't make it on her own. How could he help without helping?

"You guys sound like I've turned deaf or something." Terry laughed with amusement on the cost of his siblings. "Come one big guy, say something and let's see if Ian is going to get his ass kick by his youngest sister or I'm going to know whenever you and Max are talking behind my back." Terry walked, almost bounced over to the yautja, waiting for him to open his mouth a say something.

"Is this hyper, overexcitement problem something they gave you all as some kind of secret weakness of yours?" Toh asked almost afraid of the answer. The 4 siblings had all at some time been gingerly, laughing and acted like nothing could go wrong just like small pups. He saw the traits in Josephine all the time but he hoped for her sake that she would grow out of it.

Max laughed along Terry, while the remaining two just looked a little lost by the burst out. "Yes, you should be careful it may be contagious." Max joked, giving him a big smile but as soon their eyes met the smile fell a little just before she tear her eyes away.

"Well that tells us that they at least woks, how do you feel?" Ian asked and at that point Max had somehow disappeared without the others to notice it. Toh had however and decided now was the time to be there for his woman even though she didn't want it.

-

Why did her stomach feel like there were thousands of butterflies inside of it whenever she touched, hear or now even saw him? How could she supposed to be and the worst thing were that every time she thought of Toh, thoughts of Frank erupted her mind and made her all empty inside, she just wanted to know why this wonderful feeling could provoke such horrible nightmares that she thought she had forgot ages ago. She wanted to feel those warm safe arms around her, feel the gentle tusks graze her skin, hear his breathing become one with her but every time she thought like this her past came and haunted her. Images of how Frank came to her, the emotions of being scared and confused; the pain that always followed him whenever he were alone with her. The guilt that crept inside of her; she knew deep down that what he did had been wrong but hadn't done anything. She hadn't broken his neck the first time he closed the door to her room and whispered in her ear that it just were a dream before he would turn off the light.

Something circled around her from behind and for a second Max thought that she had been in her room with the light switched off with that heavy breathing Frank always had, due to the 100 cigarettes he smoked a day.

The soft purring brought her back.

Max hadn't noticed that she had started to shake as well as thick tears had rolled from her eyes, clouding her vision. He turned her in his arms before enfolding her completely in his arms. His scent interrupted her senses and a small smile came upon her lips. He had been there to catch her, her self pronounced protector and wannabe-lover. They stood there for what felt like only a minute but in reality more than 30, before Toh dared to look down at her. She looked so fragile and he didn't know what to do to make her smile again. She had at some time wrapped her arms around him and with little movement she too looked up at him while their eyes locked; neither spoke as Toh simply didn't know what to say and Max felt like her throat were burning from trying to keep her cries inside instead of overflow his chest with her tears.

"I'm afraid." She admitted before she could stop herself. Damn why couldn't she just keep her mouth shoot? She didn't need any pity party and the last one she needed to think that she was weak, was from the male in her arms. But it felt so damn good to finally admit it and when she didn't see the pity or repulse in his eyes she relaxed a little.

"I know but what nightmares that haunts you I don't know and of that I am afraid." He said with a calm and deep voice.

Surprised by his words Max searched his eyes for the truth, the hint of a joke or the flicker that told her that he had been lying, but she saw neither. He was afraid, afraid because she was. Before she could think anything of it she reached up, placed a hand upon his cheek and kissed one of his mandibles. It was strange how good it felt, how familiar the feeling of his skin under her lips was. It only lasted a second and before the male could register anything she had left his strong and warm arms and fled once more.

-

Okay if you liked it; **review**, if you didn't; **review** anyway but tell me nicely (I don't handle critic very well, one of my many faults.(I'm rambling this time aren't I?))

Oh and before I forget, thank you so much to all my reviewers, I can't say how much it helps to know that someone likes this story.


	10. Love is not Simple

Yeah, I know this must be the shortest chapter I've ever written, but don't worry the next will be right up and rolling. Thanks for those who have reviewed

MigetX: Thanks and I appreciate you for the heads up, I've re-read the last chapter and tried to work out the problems that might have been there and will do the same thing with the rest of the chapters when I'll get time down to it.

Drunken-Lullabies: Thank you :)

Cybernetic Mango: I'm honored; I love green tea soda ;)

Laurenthalas: Thank you

Tennoda: That just means that I've done the job well done, as it was exactly what I was aiming for. Thank you so much.

Disclaimers: Don't sue, I'm broke (and don't own…).

**Love is not that simple**

Toh could still feel his lower right mandible tingle after the soft kiss. If it hadn't been for the sudden shock He would have stopped Max from running away again, but he didn't. She had been gone long before he even could register her retreat.

-

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." Max didn't notice anything around her as she walked into her and Toh's bedroom and started to curse. They had been so much more intimate than this, she could still remember how good his hands felt upon her body and how it almost made her forget everything around her when he caressed her sensitive skin with his mandibles. Hell they had seen each other naked. But that kiss had been something else, something much more that just pleasure; it had been her sign of feelings that she didn't really knew how to react to. This was her reaction.

"Well, hello to you too." Tina spoke with amusement.

Instantly Max snapped her head toward the bed where Tina and Tanya sat, obvious waiting for her. Not saying anything she just dropped herself onto the bed beside the two women, all unlady like.

"What do you want?" She asked not looking at them.

"Don't act like you don't know why; that outburst just cleared any doubts we might have had out of the way." Tanya said with a firm tone.

"I kissed him." Max blurted, still not looking at the two women, afraid what she would see. The disappointment, humor or simply boredom to her announcement

"I knew it! Thank you, Terry now owes me 20 bucks." Tanya beamed.

A frown tugged on Max's lips. "Nice to hear that you'll get something out of my miseries." She replied. It wasn't that she was angry or disappointed of the twins bet. They had done it all their life that it would be strange if they hadn't but at that moment she just couldn't stop thinking about her dilemma; about if she was ready to start a relationship or if Frank would haunt her for the rest of her life.

"But you love us anyway" Tanya stated and she was right.

"Tell us Maxine." Tina said softly. Though for her 24 years, the woman was the mother of them all. She had a calmness over her that made her not only perfect for the tall, dark and handsome captain but also the one who acted as the peacemaker when things started to get heated between the siblings.

"I don't know if I can." She admitted. Though Max had her trait of keeping her problems to herself she had almost always been honest to Tina and Tanya. They were her best friends, her sisters and her confidants.

"Try us." Tanya urged leaving out all triumphing about her won bet.

"I just… Well I like him but I just can't forget the past and I'm not sure what to do about it all." She tried to explain.

"Have you told him about Frank?" Tina's words gave her a twist in her guts.

"No." She sighed. "I know I should and I have tried to but I just can't get it out, you know?" Max looked over at the two hoping for answers but knew that they neither knew what to do.

"I'm sorry Sis; I just hope he knows what he got." Tanya said with a smile.

"I just don't know if I'm just a potential mating partner or if he really has feelings for me."

"But you care for him." It wasn't a question and Max couldn't find it in her to deny Tina's statement. She knew deep down that she cared for the alien even though she shouldn't. That she should be looking away in repulse but she couldn't. The traits that he had were not only on the outside but the inside as well; he cared for honor and valued his morals just as high as she did. He had his rough edges but that only made him more appealing in her eyes and to comment on his less human features, they didn't even faze her. She couldn't think of Toh any other way and the fact that she had started to think about how she wanted him to push her mentally as he seemed to enjoy so much, made her aware of how serious her crush had become.

"I do care for him." She finally said out loud and with that it felt like a burden was lifted off of her shoulders. Not like every worries she had had just disappeared, but like along with her saying it out loud it became more real and she really became aware how much she meant it.

"So what are you doing here cursing about it?" Tanya asked, throwing a pillow after her. Max let the object hit her, not caring for moving in that moment.

"I can't stop think about Frank." She said barely audible but they heard her and they both knew how serious that was. "I know I should move one, but it seems that every time I try, I just end back to the memories and nightmares. I can't let Toh closer before that part of me is closed." She said with determination. She had been thinking and thinking hard about this; her plan had started to form but it were a plan she dreaded but she needed to do it to leave the past and welcome the future.

Tanya and Tina just lay beside with Max on the bed; all had their feet hanging off of the bed, staring up into the white-painted ceiling.

"So were there any problems with the nanobots inside Terry?" Max asked a couple of minutes later, desperate for a change of subject.

Tanya grin a wide wicked smile. Oh I wouldn't say that, Ian just made him his own lab rat, that's all." She said with humor in her voice.

"It wasn't that bad, he just made sure he could walk, talk, eat and other more personal things without complications." Tina laughed by how comical her husband sometimes could be when he had his eyes for something. "We all go the shot by the way." She added.

"And you can pee without turning blue?" Max asked with a big smile on her lips. It was typical Ian to be too thorough both before and after an experiment.

"Oh yes, it's only radioactive but who cares about that these days." Tina joked back. Yes Max was lucky to have such good friends and family that helped her through her problems.

--

Please review before you read the next chapter. I love feedback, I can't help it…


	11. Dreaded Past

As I promised here's the next chapter.

Disclaimers: I own nothing (except from what that is mine) and don't make anything out of this piece of art ;)

**Chapter 11 – Dreaded past**

Max dreaded the meeting she was about to have but knew that it was what she needed to do if she was to be with Toh. She had been lucky that it had been Karin that had been the one to answer the phone and therefore hadn't been forced to talk to him just yet. Max had already made up her mind. She would act normal but firm, making sure that he understood that what he had done wasn't right and once and for all make sure that he never would contact her again. She would kill him if that was what was needed, she just wouldn't stand under his shadow anymore.

-

"Welcome." Max said through gritted teeth as she opened the door.

"Hello dear, how nice of you to remember your old parents; for a moment we thought you might have forgot us all together." Karin's high voice cut through the silence as she and Frank greeted the younger woman.

Max smiled polite to the shorter woman, that she never had called mother, before directing her eyes to the rough build man behind her. Frank looked the same, though for graying stripe in his black hair, as he had the last time she had seen him. It had been around 5 years since she has seen him since and even in all that time. 5 years was all too short, an entire lifetime would be too short she mused silently before guiding them inside and toward the dinner table. She had made something easy and not too fancy as she didn't feel they deserved her good time or effort.

None said much through the dinner. Max was trying not to strangle the man sitting opposite of her at the table and as they now sat with the deserts which Karin had offered to bring, the tension in the room were almost choking.

"Now, tell me, what are you doing now, last time I heard from you, you were digging after old mummies, is that right?" The woman asked her as she ate with good appetite. Max, who nearly hadn't touched her food, looked at Karin.

"Yes I'm still an archeologist and no it doesn't have much to do with old mummies than it has with ancient languages that haven't been spoken for centuries." She answered, trying to will the courage to speak what really was on her mind instead of this small talk that she really loathed.

"Why usin' your money and resources on findin' and learnin' a language that is dead?" Frank asked with his normal booming voice that could make a lesser woman cringe. Max wasn't like that and while Karin too seemed to have lost her interest for the food, Max just stared at him; daring him to go over the line so she truly had a proofed reason to hurt him.

"Well if it weren't for dead languages then we wouldn't have know have the ancient Egyptians lived or evolved a society that have been admired ever since they came to." Max tried with all her will power to ignore the thought of slamming his face down in the table.

"That's not the point, there has to be someone to be loosers and though you fit perfect to that category, I would have liked to see you chose somethin' a little less disappointin'." He said with a smirk while tapping the table with a finger as if he was waiting for something.

"Really nice." Max said dryly. "I'm glad that I'm not interested in your opinion then."

"You people need my opinion or you would wither and die without me telling you what to do." Frank let out a harsh laugh with sent Max back to the dark place where all evil came from and they all origin from this man.

"Stop telling me what to do, I'm not a little girl anymore. You can't come and think that I'll do everything that you tell me to." Her eyes were starting to become darker. She could feel her blood rising and her temper following.

"Oh, but you will always be my little girl, Maxine." Frank taunted.

-

"What's biting you?" Ian asked the yautja. Toh didn't say anything. Max was so full of mixed signals that if he had been a car he would already have crashed into something or someone. "That bad huh?"

Toh only grunted a reply for that. It had only been an hour since the female had left the house and he were already missing her.

"Hey have you seen Max, I can't find her anywhere?" He asked worried.

This time Toh looked at the man. "She told me that she had some business to do with someone and would be back sometime later tonight." Toh answered. It was relieving that he could talk to the Trails without either hand signals or his woman to aid him.

"What… Who?"

The male shrugged before fixing his gaze to the sunset that he had watched only moments ago.

"You okay big guy? You've been a little quiet lately." Ian asked, looking at the orange descending sun as well.

"I think I have spent too much time with oomans or it just has been too long since my last real hunt."

"Okay… Why would you think you have spent too much time with _humans_?" Ian asked, putting weight on the word 'human'. He hated it when Toh and even Max sometimes called them 'oomans'.

"Our way, the yautja way is not like the oomans. We live for the hunt, hunt to gain honor, honor means respect, which means females and independence. I've been working to become an arbiter for more than 50 earth years and being stranded on this planet has come with some restraining. I have been hunting, yes, but not like I did before I met Maxine. I have spent more time with your sister than I have with all the females I have been with combined. She sometimes makes me feel lightheaded and almost sick to my stomach and still can't I stop be with her; just hear her voice makes me want to take her in my arms and never let her go. Every time she wakes up from one of her nightmares its killing me and something inside of me wants to keep her safe from everything that could harm her. She's an excellent huntress and I admire her, care for her and…"

"And you love her." It wasn't really a question. Ian knew what it meant to be in love and all those things were just some of the signs for the symptom; love.

"What is love?" Toh looked questionable at him.

"You're kidding right? You don't know what love is?" Ian asked most surprised.

Toh just shook his head for no, annoyed at the question. He didn't know what it was he was feeling but it wasn't normal. To care yes; special for a female that were either a potential or claimed mate but to care as much as he did? He hadn't heard of that any place among his own people.

"Jesus! It's hell enough to be in love, even though you didn't know it but being in love and don't even know the concept of love; that's beyond comprehending for the doctor.

"She kissed me." Toh said out in the blue, subconscious touching his lower mandible.

"Who kissed who?" Terry walked in to the room. He had been aiding Tina and Tanya in entertaining little Josephine and finally she had fallen asleep.

"Our dear sister." Ian grinned.

"I don't see the humor in… wait, you mean Max?" Terry asked, eyeing the yautja with disbelief.

"He loves her too." Ian stated, placing a hand on the males' shoulder cutting him from leaving the two brothers and their excitement party about something he didn't even know what meant for starters.

"I lost my bet." Terry said in disappointment but still had a small smile upon his lips. What were 20 bucks compared to love anyway?

"Yes you did my dear brother." Tanya laughed as she too walked into the room. At this time Toh felt that the room was becoming a little too crowded. He had never been for big crowds and while the siblings were discussing his and Max's feelings for each other, he still couldn't interpret his feelings and thoughts.

"Where's Max anyway, she should have been back by now, I mean, she was only out to get some extra clothes right?" Tanya asked and instantly all stopped talking.

"What are you talking about? Toh, you told me that she were to meet with someone and would first be back later tonight, right?" Ian looked from his sister to Toh.

"What!" Both Tanya and Tina yelled.

"Oh no, she wouldn't would she?" Tina asked the other woman, who clearly understood her secret hint.

Tina just shook her head. "I can't say, she so rarely lies to us but it seems that she has. Oh god, what if she…?"

"Okay spill it. What are you two talking about?" Terry asked a little annoyed about the hints that he simply couldn't draw up on.

"Okay she talked about her feelings for Toh and how she wanted to close her past with Frank so when she slept at night he wouldn't invade her nightmares." Tanya answered looking from each and one of the Trails to Toh. "She wanted to forget the past to be able to move on to the future." She added, hoping that he would take her hint.

The way the two men suddenly went stiff at the mention of Frank's name made Toh unnerved by the thought that his woman much likely was seeing this Frank in the same moment as they spoke. He remembered how Max had spoken the name as if he had been her worst nightmare and judging from the others, he had been right.

-

"Don't ever call me that again!"Max stood, not able to keep back her anger for this man. She looked from the one who had been the devils face for almost all her life to the timid woman beside him. "It wasn't dreams Karin and you know it. I'm not trying to get attention nor trying to make you feel bad. It happened and I want you to say it." Max balled up her fists as Karin didn't answered or even looked at her. Frank stood slowly with his authority that had made Max fear him all the more as a child.

"Karin get out to the car now!" He said calm but his voice made no question about his attention if she didn't obeyed him. Karin took one last longing look at Max and at that second Max knew something was up. He waited for the woman to disappear outside before striding around the table and toward Max.

"I gave you a home. I gave you food, clothes and I gave you a place where you were loved." He said with a low tone that unnerved Max to no end. He would always lower his tone right before he started to… She couldn't finish her thoughts as a hand gripped her arm. She tried to get free but something was wrong, somehow was she feeling weak, like all her power in her body was ebbing out of her and she couldn't do anything about it.

"Do you see? You are still my little girl Maxine, no matter if you want to or not. I will never let you go." He breathed into her ear.

"What..?" She asked but a sudden dizziness made her stop short.

"I know how stron' you are and I'm very disappointed with you Maxine. You know my women always do what I tell them to do. You can feel the dru' in your system, don't worry, it'll only make you unable to move. Not unable to feel all the great things I have in mind for you." He said smiling at her slight confused expression.

Her muscles denied working, she tried to make her legs to keep her on her feet but they started to crumble and soon she felt herself being supported by the man that she had promised to kill if he ever laid a hand on her again.

"Don't touch me!" She managed to get out but even her tong and mouth felt like they were made of led and wouldn't obey her command and it made her words sound vague.

He legs stopped supporting her all together and instantly were in the man's arms. "I have missed you Maxine. You don't know how much I've missed you." Frank said with a caring that she only knew from her youth and knew that he was going to rape her just like he use to do when she were just a little girl.

-

The car sped with record speed as Terry led it down the road. The three siblings and Toh were sitting in silence, Toh with his raging thoughts about this man that he clearly knew nothing about. He just wanted to rip the head of the man however not before making him beg for death to come. If the man had touched Max he would hunt the bad blood down himself.

"Who is he?" He asked before he could stop himself. The three glanced at him for a second.

"Frank was her appointed foster dad from the former government before they lost the war. We all got our own family, mine and Tanya's were not that bad, rich but still not really a family, Ian's were okay. I think Paul's family must have been the nicest of all of them but that's beyond the point. The point is that Frank and Karin received Max and as Karin seemed nice, Frank started to act more loving than a father ever should be." Terry tried to explain as he looked like he tried to will the car to drive faster than it could muster.

"What did he do exactly? I know that he hit her, punished her…" He couldn't go on; his blood boiled just by the thought of this man who had promised to be a sire would punish a pup as harsh that it would scar her for the rest of her life.

"I don't know if it's our place to tell you." Ian started but was silenced by Tanya who placed a hand on Toh's arm from her place at the back seat.

"He raped her. When she was a child he raped her." She told him and with that information alone made him almost lose control with anger to the man and a low growl emitted from him but no one said anything as they drove into the night.

-

Max saw that Frank took her to her bedroom. The room where she had so many good memories all included Toh and it made her cringe inwardly; knowing that they all would be over shone by this new horrid memory that Frank had intended to force upon her. The mere thought of Toh made her wish for him to be with her, be in his arms and not in this monster's. She could still smell the smell of the yautja on her pillow as Frank lay her down on her bed. He slowly started to undress her.

"You are so beautiful Maxine." He whispered as he ripped her top from her body, leaving her only in panties and bra. "I love you." He kissed her stomach and everything dark and somber drifted over her. The only thing that made her not die on command was the thought of Toh, The things that she never got to tell him and how her feelings were all too real.

"I love you so much Maxine." Frank dragged slimy kisses up her body, trailing her breasts and up her neck. The only thing Max could think of, was the thought of how good it had felt when Toh had kissed her neck, had graced her skin and how much she hated this man before her. How she would kill him at the first chance she got and how she never would be able to look Toh in the eyes again for the shame she was feeling.

His clammy hands were roaming her as he started to strip his shirt, revealing a hanging stomach that just the thought of it made her want to run until her whole frame would shake from exhaustion. His chest was filled with hair that just added to her horror of knowing that he would force himself upon her. His breath reeked and she could hear it becoming more rapid as he lay down almost on top of her. He kissed her mouth which made her curse her immobility for the thousand time.

Anger, sadness and repulsive mixed as she felt his hands on her clamps on her bra. A loud honk interrupted his action. With hesitation he lifted himself from her and with one last kiss he ran out of the room and a second later could she hear the door slam behind him. Relieve, shame, sadness, anger and many other feelings flushed over her at the same time and as though she couldn't close or blink her eyes, tears leaked from them anyway.

-

As they almost flew down the driveway they saw the headlights of another car drive right past them and with it the feeling that he maybe was too late. What if Frank already had made his business and he hadn't been there to stop him. He couldn't think of what kind of man that would be able to force his woman to do something that she didn't want to herself but that was not important; her being in his arms was.

The car screeched to a halt and they all sprinted out of the car but none the others were faster than Toh as he tore the front door open. He saw the food on the table and it didn't look like there had been any kind of fights.

"Max?!" He called as he rushed to their bedroom, somehow feeling that she was near.

He saw her lying on their bed the second he entered the room. Not thinking of anything else he bolted up to her and embraced her in his arms. Holding her to him feeling the fear of losing her wash away and replaced with relief and happiness. He purred in the content that he had his female in his arms – and she was not moving? The fear came over him once more as if a bucket of cold water just had been thrown in his face. Looking down he saw her beautiful violet eyes looking up at him, they looked so alive that he was almost afraid to place two of his fingers at the side of her neck.

With a ragged breath he felt the relive washing over him once more as he felt the a little too high but steady pulse.

"Ian!" He called, not letting go of her or removing his eyes from hers. "It'll be alright Max." He purred.

"Where is she?" Ian asked with urgency as he along with the two others entered the room. Toh didn't need to answer but reluctant lay her limp body on the bed once more. The yautja had smelled Frank's scent the second he had walked inside the room and the scent were of an aroused male and he hated it. At least had they found her still semi dressed which meant that they had interrupted him; this bad blood hadn't been able to force himself on her this last time.

"She's paralyzed." Ian mumbled as he checked her over. It had been the first time Toh noticed Max's lack of clothes and looking around him he saw the shredded remains of what once were her top, sweater and pants.

"Will she be okay?" Tanya asked carefully as if she raised her voice the answer would be negative.

Ian nodded. "She's okay, Frank presumably gave her a drug that made all the muscles and joints siege functioning." He looked down at his limp sister. "You'll be alright Max, I just don't know how long it'll take before you'll be able to move again." He said talking directly to Max.

-

Max had almost leapt in joy as she heard the familiar voice that belonged to the one person that she wanted the most. He called her name with a hint of fear she thought but wasn't sure. He had been so glad to see her that he didn't see her not moving and in that moment she didn't care. He had taken her in his arms and she could feel the warmth from his body radiate to hers, the thoughts of what just had happened and what might had happened disappeared and happiness replaced everything inside of her as she felt his moving torso and protective arms on her. She would if she could have smiled when she saw the fear bobbling up in him as he noticed her lack of movement and would have laughed when after he had checked her pulse let out a loud and ragged breath.

Max couldn't help her love shine throughout her body, knowing that he came for her. That he rescued her and now she was in his wonderful arms. If he could see it she didn't know only that at some point was place gentle back on the bed and Ian started to prod and poke to her. When Toh had called for her sibling she couldn't recall but out of her side of her eyes she kept watching Toh, hoping beyond anything that he wouldn't leave her after all this, after she had told him about Frank and about her past.

Last Ian started to tell the others about her condition and how she would be alright. It was good news but all Max could think about was how blind she had been for her own feelings, how she longed after the big male and how she longed to be able to tell him all this.

A pair of strong arms enfolded her once more and though she thought she would be startled by the sudden action, be frightened that it would be Frank once more, she didn't. She felt the same calm as she did every night when Toh came to bed and took her in his arms.

"I'm going to close your eyelids and you should try to get some sleep. I'll be right here watching over you." Toh whispered. The light had been turned off and her now less worried siblings had left the room. "Thank Paya that you're okay."

After her eyes were closet she felt content and soon fell asleep to the sound of the steady and strong heartbeat and breathing of her man.

-

Please Review!


	12. Darkness and Revenge

Darkness

Wow, I'm on a roll again, getting my muse back having my endless dreams about Toh and Max and getting up at night just to write (don't tell me I'm possessed)

I'm really sorry for the almost endless delay but I have been in a period with writer block big time but enough of that, here you have it, the 12'th chapter of 'In a War Broken World :)

Disclaimer: Must I really? Well, I don't own any of the Preds or Zenos but all the characters are mine; don't touch ;)

**Chapter 12**** - Darkness and Revenge**

The first thought was that she was surrounded by darkness and she couldn't remember why. Her brain searched her memory for information but nothing came. In fact couldn't she remember anything at all and that frightened her. Nothing came to her and doubt flushed over her as waves in the sea. Why was she there, in a place where everything was dark? No not only dark; completely black and lack of anything else? As she tried to move, first a leg, then her head, nothing; she couldn't move. She tried to say something; anything but she couldn't even open her mouth. Fear soaked her as she tried of all her might to remember; just a small hint would satisfy her or just a little light to guide her to her lost past.

With a soundless gasp Max opened her eyes to a room she knew as her own bedroom. Her body ached from being in the same position for too long and she welcomed it as she knew that she could move again. Her dream long forgotten as the happiness met her. Toh was lying beside her with both arms around her; shielding her from the rest of the world. His breathing told her that, though his eyes were closed, the yautja were still awake.

Max tilted her head upward to better see him, make out all his features trying to remember all the small things that she loved about him. From the loose black dreadlocks that spread out under him as a blanket for his oversized head; the gruff forehead with the small spike looking eyebrows on each side. Down to the now closed amber eyes that she could loose herself in if she wasn't careful. To the tusk pointed mandibles that rounded his sharp teethed mouth; to the molded skin that was smooth under her touch.

A small grunt escaped him and a smile formed on her sore face but still didn't say anything; not that she didn't think that she couldn't but that she was uncertain of what to say. His eyelids fluttered as if he had just awoken but she knew better and soon his eyes focused on hers.

"Hi." He whispered, his voice sounded a little hoarse probably from lack of use during the night.

"Hi." Max replied, letting herself fall into his stare.

"How are you?" His question held nothing than care and concern like the rest of his face and body.

Max shrugged not really knowing the answer to the question herself. How was she? She felt fine if you didn't count in her aching muscles. But her mind told her that that was not true. Her mind told her that she was far from fine.

"I'm sorry." She buried her head in his chest, trying to shield all her emotions from him. Her tears that were starting to form once more, her anger not only for the man who was responsible for her dismay but angry at herself that she was stupid enough to fall for his trick. That she wasn't smarter than the monster from her past; shame filled the rest of her and she tried to hide it all from the one man that she was most certain that she loved.

He didn't say anything, didn't do anything else than hold her in his arms. He had used many hours to think, not only on his female but about everything. How they were together, how he felt like nothing could faze him when he was with her. He had been so caught up in her and her family that he had almost forgot that it only were on a temporary basis; that his clan could be on their way to bring him with them home. _Home._ His mind had been buzzing with that word. Before he came to this planet he had thought of home as the planet of his ancestors; the place where you mated, acknowledged your children before leaving only to have the knowledge and honor of being their sire. The planet where he would trade for new weapons and visit his oldest kin; a place where he could show off his newest scars with pride and tell the tale along with them and find new mates to continue his bloodline.

But what about now? His mind must have been scrambled at some point as when he thought about home, it always held the face of his woman. He didn't care if he never came to visit his home planet again, or if he was never to mate with another female again, just she was there with him. He had been so scared the night before that he didn't even know what the feeling was before he started to think about it. He had never been scared, not like the way he had been the night before.

He heard her words but didn't really understand them; she was sorry, but for what? He was the one who was supposed to be there. He was supposed to protect her as any other male would for his mate.

A purr erupted deep down from his chest with the thought of Max as his mate. Even if she never would let him touch her, he would be proud to call her his mate. Was that love?

"I'm sorry." Max whispered once more, her voice strained from holding back a sob.

Toh caressed her back, stroke her hair with a hand, letting his purrs louder, knowing that she liked it when he did that. He traced her chin with a clawed but gentle finger until tilting her head upward so their eyes met.

"No I'm sorry Max." He whispered back, holding their eyes locked; making sure that she understood.

Max's mind was running in all directions as she tried to find a reason why he would apologize; why he didn't see that all this was her fault but she saw it in his eyes that he meant his words.

"But…"

"And when we find him, he will pay; he will wish that he never had seen you. I promise you that." He interrupted her, his eyes held her captured like they always could but the mere thought of the ooman hurting his female made the amber eyes darkened in anger.

Max could only nod as she couldn't trust her own voice at the moment. She could feel tears pressing behind her eyes but she tried with all her might to hold them back to show him that she was more than just a little cry baby.

Toh saw her tears, not yet shed, making her violet eyes shine but yet blurry. He wanted to tell her everything that he just had discovered, about his feeling for her, about his longing for her, not only her body, but her soul and mind but didn't say the words, as he was afraid of her state of mind at the moment. Another man had just tried to force himself on her; the same man that had made her so distant from the opposite sex by using her like nobody should be allowed. The man that she should have been able to trust as an adopted sire but had misused that trust and turned it into fear.

"I want to be the one who kills him." Max finally tore her eyes away from his, not able to look at them anymore, knowing that she loved this male and he probably would shy away when she finally told him about her dishonored childhood. But all that would wait until after her hunt.

"You will my woman and I will be there to see you gain back your honor." Toh tightened his grip on her, praying that she wouldn't shy away from his boldness, from his show of affection. It wasn't normal that a female was abused among his kind. They were larger and stronger than the males. The females were those who chose who they wanted to mate, not the other way around and if some foolish male tried to force himself upon a female he would be paying with his life.

Max just held on tight onto her man, her heart leaping from joy and knew that no matter what she would be able to go through this if she just had this man by her side, but the knot in her guts tightened as she thought about what he would do when he finally found out the truth.

-

She was hurt, yes. But not as much as Frank would be after she was done with him. She would make him pay; not only for this time, but for all bad he had done. She was clad in her armor, the same that her companion wore. The only different there were, was that his had been made by a stranger with all tools and materials available and hers made from his spare armor and random material that was found throughout the rubles of the two yautja ships and most important than all; he had been the one who had made it. He had thought of her and only her, when he had gone through the sparse remains from his world and used them without regards that he might need them later on.

She let the spear swirl in her hand a couple of times before stepping closer to the small house. The light told her that the Ford family was home and with that the anticipation for the hunt grew sweeter. The monster from her past and present was behind those walls and soon she would be rid of him once and for all.

"Are you ready?" Toh asked, standing slightly behind her. He was there only to watch her on her hunt, watch and share her honor.

"I am." She nodded, letting calm surround her before walking up to the door. She knew that it would be open; Frank didn't think anything could hurt him in his own home and in that believe didn't bother locking doors or windows. His mistake.

She opened the wooden door, making sure that it didn't creek as she walked inside the small hallway. The male's heavy weight however didn't agree with the floorboards and ever so softly did it protest. Neither did stop as they knew that the prey was inside the house and didn't have any means of escaping. Max had already shredded the tires on the dirty white car and there were about 15 minutes run to the next neighbor.

A man spoke form the living room, the TV. Max could already imagine how Karin sat in her chair with a magazine or some needle work, minding her own business while Frank watched TV. He had always loved being the one deciding what to be watched in the house.

Max walked silently but openly into the room and like she had imagine were the small woman sitting in the chair and the monster controlling the remote. He hadn't bother change from the day before and sweat was dripping down his forehead as if he had it hot but in reality was the house almost freezing. Both shot up in their seats as they saw the intruders and both pair of eyes rested on Toh.

"Maxine?" Karin asked in disbelief as if she had seen a ghost. She might have if the monster hadn't been interrupted but that kind of thoughts was not for now. Max stood in front of her partner, blocking some of the view, though due to his height she couldn't do that as effective as she had hoped.

"Karin, leave and don't come back do you understand?!" Max said in a calm voice, her eyes only on the monster. The fragile woman looked back and forth between Toh, Max and her husband.

"What are you playin' at Maxine, ready for another round of being Daddy's little good girl?" Frank asked mocking her. The yautja let out a deep growl as he warned the disgusting ooman, though Frank ignored him.

Max's grip on her spear tightened.

"Today you die Frank." She said in the same calm tone as she had before, not showing the anger, the hurt and wants to kill this man as soon as possible.

Karin gasped by the words and the monster's eyes started to shift a little with uncertainty. He looked from Max to the warrior then back to Max once more.

"You can't do that. You can't murder someone, and least of all your own family." He said, his voice broke at the last word. His eyes widened as the woman shifted the spear between her hands.

"Karin, get out now! You don't want to see this." Max gave Karin the last chance before doing what should have been done for more than 15 years ago. The older woman shifted her eyes from her husband to Toh who was currently blocking the only exit. "He won't hurt you if you leave now." Max added as she noticed Karin's hesitation.

Karin took one last look at Frank before ran out of the room like if a whole flock of Kainde Amedha was on her tale.

"Come back you bitch you can't just leave me like that. You will pay, do you hear me whore!" Frank screamed after his wife but the screams were more out of desperation than anger. He was scared, Max knew it by the look of his eyes and Toh could smell it.

"You can't do this." Frank repeated himself as he back father away from them. Max matched his every step while Toh stood still like a wall of flesh and muscles with arms crossed over his chest. His mask's eyes reflected the flicking light from the TV.

"Prepare Frank, defend yourself, do whatever you want, but it will be your final act." Max straightened her arm as she let the spear hover in front of her.

"You… you will let me defend myself? With what, the remote?" Frank asked in his normal mocking tone.

"Toh?" Max didn't need to say any more. They had already talked about it. That she wouldn't deny the monster a weapon if he asked for one. The male found a knife from his belt. The knife wasn't of his world from Max's request but that didn't mean that it was any less deadly if used right. He tossed the knife toward the filthy ooman as if he would to any other, not intending to hurt him, but didn't do anything to slow the weapon down either way. The knife landed with a clank as it met the floor, metal tip buried in the softer wood.

"Now you die ooman." Max said, not realizing her use of words. Frank stood almost paralyzed as he held the knife hard in his hand, holding it as a talisman but not doing anything to defend himself. Max almost felt disappointed when the man met the wall he started to tremble in fear. His dirty hair fell down his neck and plastered to his head like a helmet. His eyes stopped blinking at some point just staring at the woman in front of him. His grip on the blade tightened even more and at one point Max hoped that he would at least strike once before she would end his life but he didn't, he covered like a little child. He crept up against the wall as if it could swallow him whole and take him away from the doom that he had brought upon himself. Max hived the spear backward ready to strike and with the action the man started to whimper, looking even more pathetic than before, a strong smell of ammoniac filled her nose along with a starting wet spot in between his legs. She let the spear strike; with a gurgled sound of the dying man's last attempt to breathe he never dropped the knife before all life had left his body.

"It is done." She whispered as she removed the weapon from the former monster's dead body. She turned to the male behind her. His mask had left his face and was looking at her with puffed chest and his eyes told her he was proud of her. "Let us go home Toh." She touched his arm for him to follow and he did. His arm circled her waist as they stepped outside.

"You are my woman and I'm proud of what you have done. I'm proud of having you at my side female. Never doubt that Maxine." He purred into her ear as he drew her closer to his body. She could feel as well as hear the purr that emitted deep from his chest and she felt that he had meant every words.

-

The house was empty, dark and cold. Tanya, Terry and Ian had after a short talk with the bigger hunter decided to retire for some days, give the two some privacy.

Neither Maxine nor Toh'el'ach had spoken since their sign of affection toward each other at the Ford resident. Max couldn't decide if it were a comfortable silence or the little more awkward ones. At one time it seemed like the first and another times the other. Once inside the small bedroom she saw a small letter on the table. Toh didn't heed the paper more than a glance before making his way to the shower, though he hadn't been the one fighting did he feel disgustingly dirty just to be in the present of the dishonorable ooman.

Max read the neat written letter; the small feminine letters told her that it came from her sister's hand.

_Dear Toh (is that spelled right?) and Max._

_We thought that maybe you should have some time alone and will therefore not interrupt you until you say so. I really don't hope that you did something stupid dear sister and Toh, that you have her in a short leash. _

Max couldn't hold a short snort back at that

_Ian__ will probably come by your house tomorrow to tend to any wounds that you have gotten and Terry suggest that we have another meeting in a week. I hope that your mission went well and you didn't kill anyone else than that bastard._

_Love _

_Tanya_

Smiling Max let the letter fall back to the table. Tanya had always had a different way to write a letter but she liked it, it always made her smile. The sound of the water in the bathroom hit her ears and the thought of Frank's blood upon her made her wish that she was the one under the warm rays of water, cleaning off all the grimy off of her body and mind. Would Toh mind her joining him? Max blushed and willed the thought back into the deep of her brain not willing to accept that she just had imagine her friend naked in the shower, wet and hot by the steamy water. The water stopped and not seconds after the yautja stepped out, only clad in his loincloth; his chest and black dreads still trickled with water.

Max let a sigh of relief as she hurried around the big male and let the door shut tight behind her and in matter of seconds did the sad water hit her skin.

Once clean and red from the almost too hot water and the endless scrubbing on her skin to get away the feeling of Frank off of her she let her towel hang loose around her frame before entering the much colder room of her bedroom. Toh had his head over the small communicator she had seen him tinker with more than once.

"Any luck?" She asked as she settled under the cover to get some warmth into her body again.

Toh let out a frustrated sigh; he had for a brief moment thought there had been some kind of connection but the second it came it was gone again and he wasn't sure if they got his request. He had decided that it must have been one of the wires that weren't properly connected and made that as a prime priority when he had had some sleep.

Max heard the frustrated sigh and took that as a no and wouldn't press the issue any further. Letting out a sigh of herself she secured the towel around her body before lying down to sleep. Not long after she felt the familiar feeling of another body beside her, pressing itself lightly up against hers.

His hands circled her waist as the male drew her closer to him. Max let out a sigh of content as she snuggled further into the yautja's chest letting his heartbeat lull her to sleep.

-

Morning came but as Max opened her eyes she felt lonely by the lack of the extra heat that normally came from her friend. Looking around the bright lit room, still with sleep in her eyes, she found said man sitting at the table with the same device as he did the evening before.

"_Repeat__; the message of Toh'el'ah has been received and a ship is on its way for pickup. Nearest ship is approximately four txar from your position. Repeat…" _

Max let out a gasp while sitting up, he did it, he got hold to his people and they were coming, she didn't understand the word txar but knew that one txar was about little over a week, that meant about a month; that was what she had left to spend with him. Her heart tightened into a small knot knowing that he was leaving. What would she do then? Her whole life had been changed ever since the big brute of a male came crushing into her life and at the beginning was her only concerning that he was big, ugly and a bit pushy. But now, she wasn't sure if she could imagine a life without her wonderful friend and companion.

Toh lifted his head to look at the stunned female. He knew that it would come one day and though he longed to see his kin again did it hurt to think that though they still had time did it now have a known end. They had a deadline and he didn't like that it was so short. Max's eyes had become big in surprise and for that he felt even worse. How would she feel about him leaving; selfishly he hoped that she was feeling the same sadness as he did but soon crushed the thought. He wouldn't hope for such a thing because that would just make their goodbye more painful for her and he would be even more regretful for contacting his people. But what was he to do? He couldn't stay where he was, he longed for the bigger hunts and the life from world to world, trying to bring more honor to himself and his family. He wanted to be accepted as an arbiter being the one that would hunt down badbloods and make them see how wrong they were to choose the path that they had.

She didn't know what to say and for a time their eyes held each other to a stare until Toh's eyes finally darted downwards and with it a deep thrill that made the woman raise an eyebrow before looking down to see what hold his interest for so long. Her eyes indeed found the cause and a crimson color decorated her cheeks instantly and in the same second found the loose towel that she had slept in crumple in one corner of the bed. She tried to cover her nude body with her arms and hands but found it more difficult that she first had thought it to be.

One final purr erupted from the male that had found his way over the bed; he took the towel and coved her with it before turning to give her some privacy. It had been hard to just walk away like that but he knew that if he wasn't careful he would just cause her more pain when he finally left Earth. He knew he loved her and was dying to tell her but what would he be able tell her? That he loved her, wanted to mate her and then leave her? That would be acceptable if she was Yautja. Yautja didn't mate for life they were seeking the best seed and bloodline that they could get. They mated for pleasure and honor; to get as many strong offspring as possible. But Max wasn't like that, he knew that and he wouldn't even try the yautja's way, he wasn't sure he would be able to leave her if he knew what kind of pleasure they could create together; Paya knew how good it had felt the one time they had been intimate.

Maxine let her embarrassment cool down a bit before she let the towel once again fall to the floor and in exchange put on some clothes. How in the world she hadn't noticed her nakedness she didn't know but was surprised but the way Toh had handled the situation. Making the final preparations she joined her friend in the kitchen where he clumsy tried to make them breakfast. Standing on her toes she gave him a small kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you." She said softly as she took the bowl with cracked eggs and started to pick up broken shells from the mass.

Breakfast was soon eaten and the two went back to normal as Max started to work on some hieroglyphs from the temple and Toh sat with another thing of his trying to repair the broken device. He stole glances of the woman from time to time, couldn't forget the image from the morning or how she had kissed him. He had been about to take her then and there not thinking clear for feelings that he didn't know how to react to.

"Honey I'm home!" Ian's voice rang throughout the small home and the two pecked their heads toward the door where the tall man stood with wide spread arms in a welcome gesture.

"Hi Ian, sorry but there's no wounds to be treated today." Max smiled, stepping into the welcome embrace of her brother. The dark haired man smiled even wider as his eyes found the males.

"Is that so, I'm glad that makes my life so much easier if." He grinned. "Good thing Toh is here to hold you at bay."

Max's smile became pained at the words; they reminded her of how Toh soon would leave and Ian had been right, after Toh came she had been more out and fight yes, but her number of wounds had surprisingly fallen to a minimum.

"Yeah that's right bro." She said trying to hold back the sadness that suddenly had enfolded her heart. Tears were stinging in her eyes but she dried them off as soon as she could in Ian's shirt hoping that neither of the two male would see them; her hug became more demanding and desperate without her knowing why.

Ian looked down at her worried but didn't say anything. They talked a bit before Tina called Ian; telling him to get his butt home and be a good husband and watch Josephine while she went out.

As he walked out he sent Max a worried glance before giving her one of his big hugs. He had noticed how his sister and her companion were acting as if something had happed between them and it worried him.

-

Well that was that, but don't worry kids the next chapter shouldn't be that long from being posted as I've already written some of it.

Please review pretty please. My engine needs new juice to run on and my tank is almost empty.


	13. Brotherly Love

Yay, here's another chapter. I'm on a roll here and am using it the best way I can.

Thanks to all my reviewers.

From chapter 11:

**Kuro Jigoku Tatsumaki, ****Cybernetic Mango, Tennoda, Katy-cakes, Rain of Mystery, Shade and Laurenthalas**

Thank you so much I can't say how much it meant to me with all of your attention and comments, even though it took me about a half a year to update :)

From chapter 12:

**Tennoda**: Thank you for your review and you just has to wait and see how it all will turn out.

**Domo:** Well I' glad that you love this story it makes my heart glow with happiness. I'm sorry that the death of Frank didn't suit you; I couldn't make him all mighty and fight back as he's not that kind of person. To be honest have I no idea what you meant by a Glasgow but I'll try at make it up to you by some more fighting scenes with more worthy opponents. :)

**tain89****: **Thank you and yes I know that it can be a little sad but that's just a part of the story. I'll try to update and look forward to you reviews :)

**Chapter 13**** – Brotherly Love **

The week passed peacefully and though the two had their head in deep thought most of the time they had taken their normal daily life back with a couple of additions. As the fact that Max, though her unfortunate display the first day, had started to sleep in only a towel while Toh had made it his pleasure to hold his woman warm at night with his own body. The first night he was sure Max would have had kicked him out of the bed the same moment his hands snuggled around her slim body but to his pleasant surprise did she only snuggle even further into his embrace before falling into a deep sleep.

Max had tried to talk to Paul one of the first days and he made it clear that he didn't like the thought of meeting with his siblings and thought that they wasn't good enough for him but she knew that much.

She and Toh were driving, covered by the dark of the evening toward Terry's home. Neither spoke under the trip on the long and boring drive; Toh had from the beginning of the drive rested his hand on her thigh. Though she was a bit annoyed by the carefree way he did it she didn't shrug it off but let him caress her thigh in a calming and smoothing way.

"Son of a b…" Max cut off her curse as she parked the truck in front of Terry's building. On the front of the neighbors brick wall was a big banner that she knew well. On it was a leaf red with a crest sun in the background; over it stood the text: 'In God and Government we trust. All shall know and all shall obey.'

One thing Max knew were people that loved the government like this always meant trouble. Two of the times when they had been forced to move were because of people like that; she didn't like the thought of moving again just because one of the town's people was too nosy about business that didn't concern them. She felt Toh's hand squeeze her thigh in a reassuring manner before letting her go. The female heaved a sigh before getting out and helped her man out of the car; now there was danger lurking around them she didn't want any suspicions for them to report like a door opening by itself without reason.

They were greeted warmly and loudly as they entered the home and even Toh received a hug from Tanya who still seemed a bit shy but made progress.

All had a good time, joking and laughing; Ian was about to tell the story about the wild shot that accidently hit Max but he couldn't finish his sentence as a loud bang sounded and inside strolled none other than their fifth brother, Paul; not looking all so happy to see them.

"What's your problem man?" Terry asked angry as the sound of the crash gave him an image of a broken door and a lot of mess in the hall.

They all stood as Paul advanced inside the room staring at Max with dagger like eyes. "You're traitor." He yelled at her seeing Toh standing right beside her.

"What?" Max was confused not knowing how to react at her brother's behavior. He was the one who didn't wanted to be near her and it was him that meant that she was not fit to lead him and therefore signed himself out of the group.

"I didn't believe them until now; they said that you were a traitor I wouldn't believe them and here you are all of you sharing a good meal and stories with it like it belonged among us. You have brought that monster into our lives Max!" He yelled looking like he was about to explode any second.

"Calm down Paul and talk to us; who are _they_?" Max asked not liking his insults toward her or Toh.

Paul did calm down if only a little still holding his stare at Max. "The government isn't our enemy Max, they just want to give us all what we have craved for so long; acceptance. They told me about their case and I agreed to find the aliens that are harassing our planet; killing people for fun." He looked at Toh for a brief moment with more hate in them that Max ever had seen in anyone eyes before. "They told me about your kind and how ugly you were, I see that they were right." He mocked the yautja. Toh tensed but stood his ground not wanting to ripe the ooman in pieces in front of his siblings.

"Do you know what you're saying lieutenant? The government is just using you bro, don't you remember our training; how we grew up?" Terry asked disbelieved of what he was hearing. His brother had it bad this time.

"Have you thought about that maybe we were created for a reason? They did what they did to make us stronger, faster and smarter than everyone else. So we could rise over the rest and let them see who we are." The man looked like he could have belonged to a mental facility with a mad mans dreaming eyes as he spoke.

Toh let out a faint growl sounding noise only meat for his woman's ears as well as touching her arm lightly, letting her know that he still was there and stood behind her all the way and gave her just a little hint of his want of rip this ooman's head off in the process.

This action didn't go unnoticed by the mad brother. "Get your hands off her beast! Max get away from it, you don't know what it can do." He yelled walking closer. He had always been against his sister but that was to hide his affection for her; an affection that none of the others would understand. She was so much better than he ever allowed the others to know but every time she let him down with her decisions and actions but he knew better, he knew that she just needed some guiding to shine through.

"I will not! Stop yelling Paul and stop acting like Toh is a badblood. He is my friend and yes I know what he can do; I know that he hunt people but only badbloods. Criminals Paul. The reason why I know this because I have hunted them too, we have hunted those who hurt out world." She said angry as she rested a hand upon one of Toh's. "The reason why we were created was not for us to rise over others like we are better than them. It was because they wanted someone to do their dirty work for them. If you just listen to me; they are using you to get to the rest of us. The government wants us to hunt Toh and his kind; would you ever start hurt those who was your friends and family?" She asked soft trying to reach the man she knew existed under all the hatreds that was emitting from him.

Max stepped out of Toh's reach and walked over to her kid brother. She knew he wasn't the fasted, the smartest or strongest among them. She was sad for his sake; sad that he didn't feel the same satisfaction by have a high rank or any specials like the others. Tanya had been created to be the perfect spy; Terry was their weapon specialist; Ian their Medic and techno geek and herself, she was the leader. Paul hadn't any other 'powers' than any of the others didn't have; he didn't see the reason for them to hide but use their abilities and that was wrong. If it were because he hadn't seen the horror of the world like the others had or if he just was naïve she couldn't tell but he was wrong.

"I would do it if it meant a better world for the rest of the people around me." Paul answered which gain a combined gasp from Terry, Ian and Tanya.

Max looked at him shocked. "You would sacrifice your family for the government?" She asked; stopping mid track not believing her own ears.

"I would." His eyes looked dangerous at her. "Don't make me force you to go with me." He said with a cold threaten voice.

"You are mad." Tanya intertwined stepping up beside Max, her eyes glistered with forming tears of disappointment and sorrow by his words.

"I knew you would back her up. My little sister, how's love doing for you?" He asked with a smirk. With that both Max and Tanya was hold back Terry and Ian back from attacking their remaining brother right then and there.

"Let me go and let me show him how love feels like!" Terry spat as he fought against Max's grip.

"Stand down major." Max said calm and instantly felt the man stop lessen his fight against her hold. "I will say this once. Get out now!" Max's violet eyes pierced through Paul. Toh could see how Max had tensed up and knew all the signs of how near she was from doing something that she might regret later. The yautja therefore walked up and placed a hand on her shoulder; letting out a purr to make her know that she was not alone in this.

It seemed to work as Max looked up at him giving him a small smile in thanks and her tense muscles loosened a bit. However Paul saw this as well and it cut him deep. He saw how she looked at the yautja smiling.

Paul saw the warmth that emitted between his oldest sister and the one that he saw as a monster and it made him sick. She had never let a man touch her like that before and that made him even angrier than ever before; she never had let him touch her like that or giving him that kind of smiles.

"I see. You see an alien and he turns you into a whore. That is just great and here I thought that you were better than that." He said with pure contempt.

The male's lower mandibles started to flare as he let out a hiss in warning. Max too found this the last drop as she snapped her head to her brother, her eyes showing pure rage. His words echoed inside her head and she saw red. This time he would not get out of it with only a word or two. She walked up to him slowly and took a hard grip on his arm. Without saying anything she almost dragged him out of the room closely followed by the rest of the party.

"You. Me. Fight." She growled as she roughly shoved him outside through the door and out on the back lawn.

Toh watched as Max and the ooman male called Paul stepped out on the grass field outside Terry's house. Max was pissed, no more than pissed, she rapidly closed and reopened her hands in aggression. The yautja who now knew not to make the woman angry without suffer the consequences took a good viewing point and waited for the show to start. Ian, Terry and Tanya stepped up beside him; they have obvious witness this scene before and both took it fairly calm consider the fact that they all seemed a little more tense from their brothers words.

Tanya let out a loud sigh. "Paul will be out for a long time after this, I have never seen Max this angry before." She stated to no one in particularly

Maxine couldn't wait to give Paul a lesion he never would forget. She was so infuriated at him and it was starting to cloud her mind from anything else than making him take back the words that he not more than a minute before had uttered. Her brother had insulted her and worse, insulted their family and Toh.

That's where they were now; Max and Paul standing about 6 feet from each other holding a staring contest. Ian, Tanya, Terry and Toh stood along the house watching the fight to begin. Toh was angry by the ooman's disgracing words but this was Max's fight and he would enjoy every second of her punishment of the dishonored man.

Max stood across from the man she once had trusted completely. The one person she had had the closest bond with, even between her siblings. They had been best friends and told each other everything. But this? She couldn't recognize him anymore. Her rage from only moments ago had only decreased slightly.

"Max, think about this before you do something stupid here." Paul tried to reason with her. He knew that she was more skilled than him and he didn't like the look she had in her eyes.

She didn't answer only watching with daggering eyes on how the man starting to doubt in his previous choice of words.

His eyes flickered from his big sister to the rest of his family to the alien he despised. It was their entire fault; it was entirely the beast's fault that Max hated him and it had turned his family against him too. Forgetting that Max just had challenged him in a fight he turned toward the beast and was about to attack when he felt something collide with his abdomen and fell to one leg as he tried to catch his breath.

"Concentrate on one fight at the time lieutenant." Max growled when she waited for the man to pick himself up.

"I don't want to fight you Max." He said between each breath.

"Pity course I do. You have tried my patience too many times and this time was just the last drop. Now raise and face me" She commanded circling the man watching him as he stood.

The man stood, watching his sister shifting her body into a fighting position and couldn't stop admire how her muscles were shifting under the layer of clothes. A loud bark from the porch made him snap back to reality. If Max wanted to fight he would fight and he would win just to show her that he was stronger than her and how strong the government could make them if they just was willing to receive their gifts. His body too shifted into a fighting stand and not moments after with a piecing roar attacked his sister with all that he got.

Max knew what her brother would do before he did it. She has spared him so many times that she had memorized all of his moves and it seemed that he hadn't learned anything new since last time the two of them had clashed. She let the time come and with speed only few knew did she trun and let the surprised man hit the ground instead of her.

Their brawl continued with the man getting more and more frustrated and angry of not being able to hit the woman as he had intended. The few hits that he had inflicted was near from enough by his liking and she had hit him far more time than he her. Max was starting to get bored with playing. Her anger had subdued a bit and was only doing this to put her brother in his place.

"Stop moving!" Paul yelled as he stopped to catch his breath. Sweat was starting to form on his forehead and his breath labored.

"I will not, you did wrong in starting to question me decisions and now you will see the consequences. Don't you think all I have done have been done for the sake of our family?" Max replied.

"Not with that think in our homes and life. It is a monster a mere animal that have stolen technology from worlds that they have come across."

"He's not a monster!" Max yelled back angrily. "He's my friend and he would never do anything to hurt this family, his honor bid his not to.

Paul showed a grimace. "Honor?" He asked smug. "What does it know about honor? It just kills people for fun."

"You apparently know nothing about how the yautja lives or about what they stand for."

"And you do? You have all your information from that thing; god knows what lies he has filled you with."

A snarl came from the side but neither looked at the offended male. Max stepped a couple of steps closer to her brother as her anger starting to flare again.

"Don't you dare question my judgment. That was what made you free remember?" She hissed at him.

"Your judgment is what made us cover in fear for the last 15 years Max; I will not do that again. We should never have left the facility."

This time it was Max who attacked first and with skilled accuracy she punched him to the ground, giving him another blue and black mark on his body. "You have been blinded, they will only use you. They will promise you everything until they have you in their fists and then, my dear brother, will they never let go. You talk about being trapped out in this world; well at least do you have the ability to go where ever you want to, do what you want and love whoever you want to without some scientist looking down your back. I cannot let them take this family Paul and if you have any compassion and love for this family left you will go and never talk about us again."

"I will not dear sister, they have their eyes on your newest member of the group and I intend to give it to them." His eyes wandered to Toh who at this time was using all his willpower to restrain himself.

"No!"

Max's cry was loud enough to wake the night as she let blow after blow hit the man. Paul too had found new energy and too her surprise did he hit her more than a couple of times. For the third time did she hit the ground spitting blood onto the dirt underneath her. Her baby brother had one hell of a punch when he decided to. She wiped her mouth not caring for the stain that she would leave on her shirt.

Paul didn't wait for Max to get up and attacked her with a battle cry that he had used ever since they were little. His foot connected with Max's head that made her roll a couple of feet further down the grass covered ground. His normally gray eyes were dark and said with a deathly glare that he wouldn't stop until she didn't move anymore.

Max tried to get up but another kick to her stomach made her loose the little air she had collected. How he had gotten so strong was playing in her mind but the thought of getting up and fight was more urgent and once again did she gather all her strength and for a time did she think that she wouldn't make it before the man would come and kick her to the ground however he had been focused on the now restrained male at the house.

Her leg hurt and she was sure one or two of her ribs were broken or at least cracked but that didn't stop her. She would never give up. Her brother would have to either knock her unconscious or kill her.

Once Paul looked at her he saw his mistake but didn't think more about it than he just needed on the ground once again. With another battle cry her attacked but this time was she ready and though her whole body protested she managed to throw him down hitting him hard in the side. Max waited for him to back up before continuing her attack. She found attacking someone on the ground meaningless and didn't like the idea but knew that others didn't have the same morale as she did. Paul swung his leg high in a round kick but her hands found her foot and with an easy twist and a sickening braking sound did he fall to the ground in agony pain. The foot was lying on the ground in an unnatural angle.

"Fuck!" Paul yelled as he held onto his ankle not able to do much else. Max sneered at him.

"You know what'll happen if you tell and I can't stand in the way if you challenge Toh'el'ach, do you understand?" Max said in a calming but cold tone. He nodded his agreement but didn't look at anything else than the broken foot.

With a knowing nod Max gesture for Ian to come and look at the man's foot. A purr erupted from behind her and with that she couldn't hold back a smile. Strong arms encircled her waist holding her up. Not that she was unable stand but it was painful so many places that she welcomed the extra support and loved the yautja for not touching any of her damaged ribs.

He lifted her into his arms ignoring her protest of how he treated her like a child but with one glare he silenced her. She knew that she had injuries and knew for a fact that it hurt every time she moved so though her mind screamed that she could take care of herself did her body welcome the lesser pain.

"Put her up into one of the bedrooms, I'll send Ian up to you as soon he's done with Paul." Terry said and Tanya immediately came to show Toh the way to a suitable bedroom; the house was big enough for even Toh to get lost and that was not what either of them was looking for at that moment.

-

"I'm sorry." Max mumbles into the chest of the male. Tanya had given them a big bedroom with a king size bed and more furnishers that neither Toh nor Max was interested in at that time. "I'm sorry that you have to take care of me all the time that we never seem to have time where we just could relax like before." She elaborated without any encouragement.

Toh let her mandibles graze her cheek and forehead. He had promised himself not to act too much upon his feeling but it had been hard to see his female every day and not being able to hold her like he did at the moment. Hold her in his arms, his hands stroking every part that they could reach, soothing her, nipping kisses on her skin and taste her sweetness in the same time.

"If this had not happened I wouldn't be able to hold you right now woman." He said honestly letting her know some of his thoughts.

She laughed tiredly. "I bet you wouldn't, so enjoy it as long as it last." She teased but did nothing to loosen their joined bodies. A yawn came from the female muffled by Toh's body and he couldn't stop laughing quietly. She snuggled even further into him as her eyes fluttered to close.

"I will my mate." He whispered not loud but apparently loud enough for Max to hear and instantly her eyes opened in a widened surprise looking up at the male her mouth open as if she was about to say something but nothing came out.

"Go to sleep my woman." He coaxed closing her mouth with a gentle finger for her.

"I'm not your mate, got it." Her eyes gleamed with a playful hint but her voice serious. She tried to push herself out of his arms to point her statement but the male held her in place not letting her go.

"You are Max, no matter what you say woman." He said too with a serious tone in his voice but knew that she didn't want to be let go.

She tried to hold back a small smile but just a hint of it crossed her face as she buried her face into the male's chest once more. "Whatever you say, I'm no man's woman or mate." She said through another yawn and with that did she fell asleep.

-

Another filler I know but I'm not so sure of what to write at this point even though I'm not looking at the screen for hours with no end without being able to write a line.

**Please review and tell me what you think :)**


	14. Betraying Hearts

"Long long time ago there were a Fanfiction, which were created by a young woman who loved writing with her heart. Then a lot of things happened in her life and with it, the Writerblock came. She fought the evil Writeblock endlessly until one day it covered back into the blackness it came from in defeat and fear. Sadly by that time the lonely Fanfiction had been abandoned it had been far too long. But with the defeat of the Writerblock, back came the love for her dearest story and once again did she found the strength to continue her work and vow to complete the Fanfiction; like all fanfictions dreams about."

I don't know what to say but I'm back. I know it have been too long since my last update and most of you have probably completely forgot about it. Though I have to say a thanks you to **Predator808**, without your persistence and encouragement I don't think I would have been able to see that this story really needed to continue and have an ending. So after rereading it and getting new ideas mixed with the old ones, I'm sure this story on the right track once more.

Also huge thanks for reviewing to:

**Jigoku Tatsumaki**

**tain89**

**blood shifter**

**Tennoda**

**Brainfear**

**Znak**

(If I missed someone, I apologize in advance it has been a while)

And thanks to all who have this story on favorite and/or story alert, this means a lot to me. Anyways on to the story and next chapter. Warning! There are a reason why this story is rated M, there will be explicit contest in this chapter

**Chapter 14 – Betraying Hearts**

"What do you mean that he got away?" Max asked Ian frustrated. He had woken his sister and her companion up, much too early in the morning for any of their likening but the news of Paul's disappearing was enough for them to forget all about time, pain and grogginess.

"Like I said; he was right there this evening and with that leg of his, he wouldn't have had many means to escape. But he's gone; his bed empty and cold." Ian said for the second time that morning. He had not thought that guarding his own brother would be needed and had therefore only secured the windows and locked the door.

Max's frown got bigger and her head in deep thought. She didn't know if he would snitch on them to the government and lead them to find them and what about Toh? Her friend that she loved so much that it sometimes hurt, what would happen to him if the white coats found him?

"What do we do now Max? We can't stay here anymore, it wouldn't be safe." Tanya said with a hint of fright in her voice.

"We can't leave." The older sister said simply, still in thought of how to fix the problem.

"What? We can't just sit here and wait for them to find us." Terry exclaimed more shocked at her words than angry over her decision.

"And we can't leave; if we do it would raise a hell of a big flag to our present. You have seen your neighbor's banner right? They must have heard something from last night. We can submit it as a get together going out of hand, but if we just pack up and leave, it would be suspicious and they would maybe pry into what was going on. We have no other options than sit tight and wait, at least for a week or two. Hopefully Paul won't tell anybody until that time." Max let a hand rest on Toh's. His eyes found hers and it seemed like the two had a secret conversation restricted only to the two.

The male gave the woman a single nod before they broke the connection.

"I'm not keen with this Max, but I can see where you're going, I wish it wouldn't be like this but I can't see any other option either." Terry lowered his head in submission of the situation.

"Will your people be able to find you if you change your location?" Max asked looking at Toh one more time.

He shook his head. "I can't say. My transmitter doesn't work properly; I don't think they would be able to if I did." He yet again held his eye with the smaller woman beside him, their hands still touching almost lightly caressing without moving.

"Don't worry you're a part of the family now, we won't leave you behind." Terry assured. The others nodded their agrees before all eyes rested on Max once more.

"Okay, we go back home and act like normal, work, hobbies you know the drill and remember if anything goes wrong text the others the letter 'G', got it?" She asked, taking the role as the leader. "We'll…"

"Max, Paul will know about Gamma Site; I'm not following you." Tanya interrupted.

Giving her sister a knowing smile she nodded. "We won't go to Gamma Site; he will only think that we do if he gets to read one of the messages. We will go to Tom's house. I'm the only one who knows where it is, so that would be the safest place for the longest time if the time comes to that." Max let her gaze find Ian. "Take Tina and Josephine to the place already tonight Ian. If we are lucky they can come back but…"

"If we're not, at least they will be safe; I know sis. Tina won't be happy but she'll coop." Ian smiled encouraging. "Besides we can always say that they are up and visiting Tina's mother, it wouldn't be the first time."

-

The two hadn't used much time on talking on the time driving back home. Max's leg was hurting as well as her ribs. The ribs were thankfully only bruised and would heal in no time but hurt like hell while they did. Her face was colored with a dark bruise already in a state of healing thankful for her DNA and yautja engineered nanites. Toh had tried more than once to carry her but a swat to the arm or chest made him back up once more with an amusing expression on his face. How she had been able to drive the truck home was still a puzzle for her as her leg kept protesting when she used it. Ian had, before they went home, looked at it and he told her that she had gotten it pretty bruised up as well as a severe twisted her ankle and from what he could tell from the hast of the nanites it would be a little more than a couple of days before she would be able to use it completely.

"Don't get up I got it." Toh forced her back into the cushions of the couch as she was about to rise to get a cup of coffee. She had to admit that the male had very keen eyes; she had on purpose waited for him to leave the room before her attempt.

"I'm not a baby." She complained but stayed in her seat knowing that the bigger male would only make her sit down again if she did. She had limped when they stepped out of the car and ever since Toh had found it his duty to let her sit and do nothing more than rest and recover and be bored.

"You sure sound like one." He laughed as he came back with a mug of steaming warm brown liquid.

With a humph she took the mug and settled further into the pillows. A dip at her side told her Toh had decided to sit with her as well and with a contempt sigh she leaned up against the male's side, making it comfortable for them both.

"Maybe I couldn't sit here forever but right now it's all I need; that and a decent run." She said in pure relaxation as she led the cup to her lips. Toh let out a deep purr to let her know that he too found it pleasurable. "Tell me, what is it like on your home planet?" She asked.

He snuggled Max into his side, making sure that he didn't touch any of her bruises or scraps. "It's beautiful but not like yours. My home is warm and nice, not like Earth where you have to wear mesh to keep warmth. The air's nice and crisp not hard to breath and the large woods area has housed some of the most fearsome and honorable preys." He started.

This was first time they really had talked about his world. Sure she had read a lot about the planet and how the yautja lived, but hearing it from Toh was a totally different matter. Smiling Max let his words wash over her as he continued telling her about his time on the ancient planet.

Max had almost drowsed into a light sleep when she felt the male stroking her hair; with a purr he caressed her cheek with his mandibles. A low moan came from the woman, trying to surpass her rising needs toward him. She knew she loved him, but was that enough? What about when he would go home again, what then? Questions swirled inside her head making her more confused than anything else.

Max tilted her head to give Toh more access to her skin not able to stop herself as the sensation of love and pleasure erupted in her mind and body.

"Tell me to stop." Toh pleaded, her scent, how her small body fitted perfectly into his, how her breath had become deep with pleasure made him continue and in that second he wasn't sure if she had told him to stop he would have been able to. He would soon break his own promise if he didn't stop and every time the thought of stopping grazed his mind, a low moan or a hand to hold him in place kept him from doing so.

"Tell me first that this is just a dream." She panted. With a precise and easy looking twist, she sat on Toh's lap, looking deep into his ember eyes.

"I sure hope not." He replied his instinct told him to take the woman on top of him right then and there, regardless of if it was a dream or not. Her violet eyes shone with what he knew was lust, and the mere thought that it was lust for him and him alone was enough to make his member swell.

"Good." Her assault on him was almost enough to make him cum right there. Her mouth dropped to his mandibles, kissing and nibbling softly on the tender flesh on his inner cheeks. Her body pressed tight into his, almost as if she was trying to mold them together by force.

Max couldn't and wouldn't let her mind take over. She felt the heat not only in between her legs that was currently throbbing with need, but her whole body was humming for attention. Her heart was almost reaching for his. She wanted him in so many ways that she didn't know how to tell him. She tried to will her body to take it easy, to take the time for her to get comfortable, but whenever she tried her body made her realize she didn't want to take it slow, she had wanted Toh'el'ach for a long time now. Her own fears had clouded her and he had been the one who had ridden her from those fears and for that she loved him even more. It was almost as if the spring of a tight knot inside of her had infested her whole body until her mind and heart had become a victim as well. The worst part was that she loved every second of it.

Her hips jerked forward in a strangled cry as Toh had nibbled a certain tender and special spot. She could feel his arousal between them and for a second did she wonder how big he must be. The male was not exactly small and if that was any indications he would be bigger than she ever had tried before. Once more a stab of uncertainty washed over her, but it disappeared as soon as it came. She wanted him, all of him, and God be her mercy if she didn't get it.

"Bedroom." She panted; her leg wrapped themselves around his waist. The male didn't need that order more than once and he had her in his arms, carried her to the small bedroom. His vocal cord sounded like he had lost his speech completely, only his growls, moans and purr of pleasure were remaining. The predator had emerged from the sleep inside of him and she was his prey.

"I want you." He hoarsely growled letting her fall to the center of the bed, bouncing at the spot she looked up at him with as much want and lust in her eyes that he had.

"I want you." She replied, feeling breathless and unable to say too much. Her mind simply couldn't form any words that she felt she could say. The male made sure she couldn't think more than that single thought before he had her pinned between him and the bed. His mandibles and teeth nibbled their way downwards. Hot pleasure mixed with a slight pain, was jumbling at once as he started at her throat; making sure that her pleasure spots would bare his mark. A hand had found its way to her breast where it kneaded the firm globes of flesh through her shirt. It felt like his hands were everywhere and whenever she moaned he moved to her next pleasure point, some of them she didn't even know she had. Her hands desperately tried to do the same to him that he did to her, but being on her back and his head now at her chest wasn't enough.

With the same speed and agile she flexed her hips, pushed with her hand and body until the startled male lay on the bed, looking up at the female, now straddling him. Giving him an innocent smile, she continued what he had been doing to her. Her head dipped low, lips tracing every scar he had on his exposed skin. Her hands held his in a gentle grip at each side of his body, knowing that if he wanted he could throw her off of him any moment.

"you're playing with agh… Paya!" His hips jerked violently as Max's teeth found his nibble. Not all men liked being bitten, and especially not in the nibbles, but she had to know and she now knew for sure that the man beneath her liked it very much.

His hands had forced hers away and were reaching for the hem of her shirt, whispering nonsense in pleasure as Max kept her assault on him on full force. The clawed fingers were trying in vain finding a way to get the material off of his lover's body. Another swig of pleasure was that that made him loose all restraining that he had left. The cloth between his hands teared easily and soon it was free from the body of his beautiful mate.

Max let out a small protest at the way the male under her had treated her clothes but the protests were soon silenced as she found the world turning up side down once more as she hit the bed. Toh hovered over the woman and the sight was all what he had waited for. She was not a female from his own home planet, a half time bigger than him. She didn't have the darker pattern grazed skin as a yautja would have nor the mandibles that would reach out for his in an attempt to bit him whenever he came too close. No Max, his woman and mate was more than that. Her eyes as beautiful as the spring flower of his home. Her hair free from binding and as she lay on the bed as she did at that moment it had spread itself under her as a golden layer of silk. Her lips so good at so many things; so soft and gentle and yet was her teeth perfect to nibble and bit whenever she needed to. He loved this woman over thousand woman of his own kind and that made it all just even more intense. She wanted him too; he could smell it in her scent as well as her words of encouraging was enough to hold any doubt at bay.

"Please Toh." Max was almost bursting from the sensations that washed over her and inside her. She couldn't hold her pleasure in a distance as she always could when she were with a man, her mind wouldn't simply listen and at that time wasn't she so sure she wanted her mind to do anything than make her give as much love as she received. Toh was still raised over her; one arm supporting his weight as he was sitting gently on top of her; his legs barely making any pressure on hers. A loud bib sounded throughout the small room and as if the sound had a power over the two, they both stopped in track eyes locked.

The yautja was about to dismiss the intrusion as nothing important when the bib came once more and this time didn't ease up but increased.

"Something you have any knowledge about?" Max asked her voice still thick with lust but her eyes much more clear now that she had had the time to take a breath.

Letting out a frustrating sigh the male dragged himself up from the most wonderful position that he had known for a very long time and headed over to the small communication device cursing whoever it was who called.

"This is Toh'el'ach speaking." His mood a bit gloomy over the rude interruption and that mirrored his tone to the intruder.

The static on the other end was enough for Toh to think that the device must have been broken, but then a scratchy voice came on the other end. "Praise Paya, we are here to rescue you my friend." He heard his long time friend say in a little too cocky tone. Just what he needed; to be interrupted just to be made fun of.

"I'm not in the mood Shac'na, what do you want?"

A light chuckle could be heard from the other end. "Mad that you managed to disable, not only your own ship but the second one too on you first hunt for badbloods?" Shac'na teased.

A light growl threatened to surface as Toh tried to calm down a little; the last thing he wanted was make Max worry about him. "Get to the point."

"Okay okay don't you have a lovely mood? I just wanted to give you a heads up, we should be upon the planet very soon… and I can't wait to…see how… get there…" Shac'na's voice was starting to be drown by static noise and though Toh tried to make his friend repeat, the answer was the same. He had used countless hours on the stupid thing and still didn't work properly. At least did he get one thing clear and that was that he didn't have much time left.

Looking back at the woman all his thoughts circled around, he saw her rolled up in a ball asleep. Her arms were hugging her chest and her legs tugged carefully up under her. What was he to do with this one and about his kin who was coming faster than he wanted them to?

Carefully without disturbing the female too much did he loosened the bed cover and engulfed them both while he took her in his arms.

Max let out a small yawn as she pulled herself even closer to him. "Are you now my boyfriend?" She asked, clearly more asleep than awake.

Toh looked startled down at her. He knew that being a boyfriend or girlfriend meant being in a relationship, meaning the couple being in a sexual and emotional union; living their lives together. "Yes my mate, I am, now sleep." He stroked her hair while he felt her relax completely into him. Images of what they had been doing not more than a few moments ago flooded his brain and it took ham a long time before rest came to him as well.

-

Max's thoughts were rumbled at too many things at the same time. Thoughts of the government and the fear of being discovered and caught. Thoughts of her family and their safety and how she could fail her duty as their leader and protector. Thoughts about Paul and questions of how she had failed in protecting him from himself and how his heart had been corrupted. Thoughts about Toh and how her feelings had grown toward the male. About how her heart ached with the thought of him leaving; she knew it was selfish but she wished he could stay with her. Shac'na had told Toh that they would be there soon to pick him up but how soon was soon? Did it mean days, weeks or maybe only hours? They could be coming right now!

When she looked at him she could tell that he too had a lot to think about and wouldn't disturb his thoughts and therefore used her time to sort out her own confusions. She had been up early and throughout the whole day had neither of them been much company. Toh had almost drawn back from her since the evening before and that troubled her too. Maybe did he miss his family and friends; his own race. Max wasn't sure about how much family Toh had among his people, as it was one of the few subjects he always found a way to avoid and who were she to pry if that made him uncomfortable?

Through the window from the couch could she see the new formed snowflakes falling from the white sky. How she had loved snowflakes as a child. She could have watched them falling for hours with no end and still find new things to marvel and be amazed about. She sometimes imagines that she too was one of them, falling in a dance of uniqueness and simplicity. Just the thought of fly away had been enough for her immature mind at the time.

A purr to her left interrupted her chain of thought; she looked briefly at her friend, giving him a hesitant smile before looking back at the scenery. Scolding herself for acting like a rejected little puppy who now was afraid of its master and his kindness. A frown formed on her face without warning at the thought. The yautja wasn't her master like no man ever would; no matter what was she no man's pet.

The purr became louder and a hand came to her hair, stroking it as well as moving it out of her face. "I'm pathetic aren't I?" She asked; her frown eased to a small smile.

"No." Toh tilted her head toward his own. "But I am. I swore that I wouldn't hurt you but my feelings are betraying us both." His amber eyes became darker with what she had learned to be lust.

"You won't hurt me." That was a lie but she wanted him; having the memories of them together would be better that holding back and loose the remaining time they had left together in sadness.

"I will if we…" Toh started but a hand covered his mandibles forcing him to stop talking.

"Feel my heart." She said. Without breaking their eye contact she guided his hand to her chest. Letting him feel how her heart was almost exploding behind her ribs. "I'm scared." She admitted and her smile grew reassuring as his eyes grew wide in concern. "Not of you. But though the snake is dead does the poison still run in my veins. I killed Frank but the fear that he have seeded in my heart hasn't disappeared only subdued."

His hand rested on her chest feeling the fast rhythm under the skin, her eyes telling him so many things that he almost felt lost. Was she afraid of being with him or perhaps was she like himself discovering new feelings that was the most frightening and wonderful feeling he ever had experienced in his long life.

"I will try not to hurt you my woman, even if it means I must isolate myself from you, I will keep my promise." He nuzzled his mandibles over her forehead and down her cheek to the soft flesh of her earlobe that he knew was pleasurable for her.

The woman gained enough space between them with a firm but gentle shove to his broad chest. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not your woman?" Max let a smile grace her lips at the long lasting argument.

The yautja too found this a needed change of topic, as he once more stole a nib to her neck before moving closer to her, keeping his eyes at hers. They shone; he could see the anticipation for him to take the bait. He smirked "You are my woman Max, if you won't say it I may just have to find a way to show you."

To counter his movement, Max let her feet travel a couple of steps backwards until the table behind her stopped her. In that moment a couple of things happened at once. Toh moved in on the female in thought that he would be able to catch her; while testing her newly healed leg Max jumped up on the table and moved through the room to have as many furniture between them as possible. Toh wasn't that far behind her.

"Oh no, I'm not." Max let out a giggle as she tried to get away from the bigger male. They jumped, ran and scooted round in the small confinement of the living room "Toh don't you…" In the same second she tried to say _dare,_ the yautja finally got a hold around her waist and pulled her into him with his superior strength.

"Let me go you big piece of muscles." She laughed. Max knew it only flattered him when she commented his blessed body, even when she tried to make it an insult.

"Say it my mate." He purred into her ear. Max let out a short laugh as she tried to get out of his strong arms but he was too strong and with a grunt he secured her between himself and one of the walls.

"Oh no not that easy, why won't you say it woman?" He held her hands in his, making sure that she couldn't get out of his grip.

"Because it's stupid, that's why, now let me go." The woman scolded but a couple of giggles escaped her mouth. This was more exciting than she would admit at that point.

"We are in what you oomans call a relationship, and you are my woman, therefore are you my mate as well." Toh said as he let his tusks graze his woman's skin just at the junction of her neck.

"That's unfair." Max said lighthearted as she almost at the same second the yautja touched her skin did she feel the pleasure that she only knew when he touched her.

"Are you complaining my mate?" Toh knew he had her in his grasp and as she instead of fighting against him was starting to respond he knew he had her. However, as she began to grind herself up against him he wasn't that sure if his plan was as a good idea as he previous had thought. The promise that he had given himself was almost impossible to hold if he didn't get away from this sex goddess very soon.

Max was almost lost in her feelings as she felt Toh up against her and their little intimate incident the day before was just too much for her to handle. She really loved this hunk of an alien and she would love to be with him. But would she be able to be with him without closing off like she always did when she had been with a man before, she didn't know how love should feel like, even though she was sure she felt it; but was it enough? Every time she felt a small touch or a special look from the male she felt this flutter deep down from a place she couldn't identify and it scared her. Not only because she didn't know what her body was telling her, but also because she was afraid that it wouldn't stay there forever.

"I am yours." She throaty whispered not giving him the pleasure of hearing her say the word 'mate'; it were too close to the meaning of wife for her to simply to say it.

"I know." Toh was killing himself, he was sure of it as he let go of the woman, letting her feel the floor under her feet before letting go all together not sure when he had lifted her in the first place.

"I want you." It was only a whisper but the yautja heard every word and the mere meaning behind those words was enough for him to doubt his self-control once more. "I'm scared of not being able to feel, but I want you so much that it hurts." This time did violet eyes meet amber ones and in a crushing silence, for what seemed like minutes, but only lasted seconds had Toh once again the woman in his arms; their eyes never leaving the others.

"I will make you feel Max, you will feel pleasure I promise you that."

Max felt her own arouse for the ten thousands time since the night before. She simply couldn't stop thinking about Toh and how good he had made her feel and how she craved to return the feeling. Suddenly did she found the ground leaving her and hover under her as Toh had taken her in his arms already on his way back to their bed.

The bed was soft and the air was a little chilled but none of that was important for her at that point. Toh sat over her but never on her, his hands traveled all the way down her body discovered or rediscovered places of her body that gave her pleasure. He kept their long stare as he let his mandibles stretch and caress her face. The sudden jab of pleasure from a hand over one of her breast and nipple made her close her eyes. The pace was almost too slow for her; she needed more, something she knew he only would give her if she asked him of it. Just as calm and experimenting she let her hands roam his accessible body, much like they had done the day before. She tried to flip them over like before, but this time was the male determined to stay on top to give her all the love that he had.

Stroking, touching and caressing her all the right places so that thoughts was something that came and went, without she really could grasp where they came from or how to hold on to them. A strangled cry escaped her as his wandering hands found her junction through her jeans. Max buckled her hips en a mocking imitation of what her real desires was, not thinking clear. A deep chuckle sounded in her ear as Toh slowly peeled her tee off of her. "Someone is impatient." He chuckled as the first piece of clothes fell to the floor.

"Just don't stop." Was the only words Max was able to get across her lips. Her whole body was feeling like it was on fire and her core was giving her not so subtle hints of something missing, something deep inside of her.

A purr was her only response as Max let her fingers thread through the males' dreadlocks and massaging his sensitive scalp. She kissed all of his skin that was within her reach; enjoying the low moans that she knew came after a kiss on one of his mandibles or the hiss followed by the deep rumble that told her of his desires and pleasure when she nibbled his skin. The chilled air on her heated skin was only making the contrast of Toh's warm hands on her body more thrilling. With a smooth motion was the male gone from her view but the feeling of abandonees wasn't allowed to stay for too long as she felt her Jeans being unzipped and then slowly slid down her legs. A faint sound of something hitting the ground told her that they were finally abandoned and soon felt hot air moved up her legs.

Her panties were ripped in a little ungentle manner soon followed by her bra but she didn't care. Her need was too strong and the sudden touch of her clit was enough for her to cum, it wasn't hard but it was enough for her to lose sight, thought and senses if anything else than the feeling of the intense pleasure Toh was giving her.

"Please…" She didn't care if she pleaded and begged. All she needed in the moment was feeling her lover inside of her; feel him embed in her feeling his desires. She reached down to him and pulled the not so unwillingly male up to her. Her legs already trying to encircle his hips.

"I will not hurt you." Did she hear him say but she knew that. Just after the foreplay had she had the best orgasm given by another, the anticipation of what would come next was all in trust of him to keep what he was doing.

"You won't." She agreed, letting her hand travel down his toned chest to his member. It was big, defiantly bigger than she'd ever had before, but she had thought that much. She trusted him. He too guided his hand down to join hers over his hard pulsing cock. Together did they guide him to her entrance and with a light shove he entered her. The first thought that ran through her head was a senseless fear running through her. Her hands that had helped Toh closer to her, was now trying to shove him away again. Her arouse dropped and images of a past that should have been erased came overflowing her mind. She didn't see anything else than demons of the past. Faintly could she hear a voice telling her to calm, that she was safe. She could feel a body engulfing her and a loud purr sounded but that was not all, she could feel the vibrations through her whole body calming it in a soothing way.

"I will not hurt you Max. You are safe." Could she hear someone say; the voice gave her a feeling of trust and protection. She inhaled and the strong scent of pure male hit her. Not the dirty smell that she had expected but the scent of something safe and homecoming. Slowly could she feel her body calming down enough for her to dare open her eyes.

She couldn't help the breath of relief when amber eyes met hers while the feeling of security and what she identified as love over flooded her.

"Thank you." She whispered as she once again pulled her lover into her; bury her face in his shoulder.

"Max…" He rasped ragged and in that moment did she notice how his tip still was inside of her and he was dying with need to move. Her lust that had been lost under her panic attack came tenfold back. Every time she felt him take a breath his cock pulsated, moving ever so slightly tantalizing her nerves. Just as fast as the mood had been ruined as fast came her want for the man over her.

"I'm ready Toh. Take me." She whispered and when she couldn't feel him comply she moved up a little, making him slide inside of her a little more. A united gasp sounded from both of them at the friction but Toh took the hint and moved ever so slowly inside of her. A low purr was sounded and she could swear that she could feel the vibrations all the way down and inside to her core.

"Oh god, you're big." She panted as he kept moving, past where any man had ever been before until his entire pulsating member were buried deep inside of her. Toh tried to speak but all meaningful sounds were lost in pleasure. Once again did he slowly start to move, the slow pace was agonizing and with every trust Max felt like she was tortured with pleasure.

"Please Toh, move, I need… aah!" The yautja hadn't waited for the rest of her stream of words when he heard her displeasure of his pace. He had been afraid that he might have hurt her and wanted to take it slowly for her sake, but like always did Max surprise him. She was in heaven as he moved faster and with every stroke it was bliss. Max mewled, moaned and panted as she tried to match his now more demanding trusts. She was close and with the still increasing speed and the harder trusts she didn't have long to go.

All thoughts were forgotten, the world was forgotten; all that existed was the two of them in a world of pleasure and love.

"Cum my woman." Could she hear Toh say moaning in delight, but she was already there; her world going white her muscles tensing and her fingers and toes tingling. It was as if her body exploded with pleasure and all good feelings in the world. As she was on her way back to the room with her lover could she feel a last trust and a strangled roar while feeling Toh expand her even more until he had filled her and fell limbless on top of her.

-

It took Max some seconds to realize that she'd dozed off for a moment and wasn't the only one. The heavy weight on top of her and the deep breathing against her ear was enough to tell her that Toh too had fallen asleep. Knowing that he needed the sleep, Max tried with as little disturbance to the male to cover them with the coverlet. Satisfied and not had woken her lover Max let her mind wander.

It wasn't exactly the first time she had had sex but the afterglow she was feel made her think that this was how it should feel like. Soar; yes defiantly but content happy and soothing else that she couldn't quiet put her finger on. The bubbly feeling that was threatening all of her emotions made her focus only on the male on top of her. His smell, his sounds, the feeling of him and how she loved feeling his weight on her even though he was a little heavy. In that moment all that was; was him.

-

Defiantly to be continued…


End file.
